FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Consulate (Punjab)

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made to establish the British Consulate Office in Jallander, Punjab.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 667W.

Visas

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for a visa to visit family members in the UK were refused in each month since 1 October 2000.

Ben Bradshaw: Statistical information on the number of family visit applications refused on a monthly basis is only available from those posts that provide monthly statistical information (107 largest posts in 2000 and 110 in 2001). These figures are as follows:
	
		
			 Month Received Refused 
		
		
			 2000   
			 October 11,850 2,022 
			 November 14,334 1,897 
			 December 12,470 1,283 
			
			 2001   
			 January 13,612 2,276 
			 February 16,182 1,775 
			 March 20,811 4,205 
			 April 22,486 3,978 
			 May 32,143 5,177 
			 June 32,168 5,610 
			 July 36,866 5,870 
			 August 28,820 5,129 
			 September 15,737 3,225 
			  
			 Total 257,479 42,447 
		
	
	The remaining posts submit information on an annual basis, which is not broken down into months. To answer this question for all 165 posts we would have to ask those additional posts manually to extract the information requested. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.

New Partnership for African Development

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial commitments the Government have made to the New African Initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD—formerly known as the New African Initiative) will require a broad international response, ranging from support to some of NEPAD's programmatic elements to action in the EU, OECD, UN and other international forums. No specific financial commitments have yet been made.
	The Prime Minister has appointed Baroness Amos as his Personal Representative in developing a G8 Action Plan for Africa to be adopted at the 2002 G8 Summit in Canada. The first meeting of G8 Heads of State Personal Representatives was held in London on 17–19 October. They agreed to consult widely with other development partners, with the private sector, civil society and international organisations. They have further meetings planned which will include dialogue with African partners. The elements in the Action Plan will be evolved in the context of these meetings.

Afghan Women (Suicides)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has (a) received and (b) made concerning the number of suicides among Afghan women.

Ben Bradshaw: Although we have received no specific representations on this issue, we have, through our High Commission in Islamabad, made numerous and regular representations to the Taliban on women's rights in Afghanistan.

International Criminal Court

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are being made to publicise the United Kingdom's policies on international humanitarian law, with particular reference to the International Criminal Court.

Peter Hain: On 4 October the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a publication entitled "United Kingdom and International Humanitarian Law", whose appearance was timed to coincide with United Kingdom ratification of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court. The publication, which has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, describes the United Kingdom's policy regarding the International Criminal Court itself, in addition to a number of other important areas of international humanitarian law.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Education Funding

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the proportion of total education spending on primary and secondary education delivered through (a) Education Standard Spending assessment allocations and (b) other central Government funding streams for each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The table provides the information requested. It compares funding through the primary, secondary and post-16 sub-blocks of Education Standard Spending with DfES grant funding through the Standards Fund (DfES revenue grant only), School Standards Grant, Teachers' Pay Grants, Education Action Zone programme, School Budget Support Grant and Education Budget Support Grant.
	
		Percentage 
		
			  Year Primary, secondary, and post-16 ESS sub-blocks  DfES grant funding 
		
		
			 1997–98 99 1 
			 1998–99 98 2 
			 1999–2000 96 4 
			 2000–01 91 9 
			 2001–02 88 12

Education Funding

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 26 October 2001, Official Report, column 456W, on education spending, what proportion of total spending on education was devolved to schools and colleges in each of the past 10 years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available on a comparable basis across this period.

Performance-related Pay

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost of performance-related pay is to date, divided between (a) payments to staff and (b) administration costs; how many teachers have received performance-related pay; how many teachers who applied for performance-related pay failed to meet the necessary criteria; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Over 200,000 teachers in England applied to cross the performance threshold in the first round, some 80 per cent. of those who were eligible to apply. Of these, nearly 195,000 were assessed as meeting the threshold standards and are now receiving over £400 million per year in associated pay increases.
	The Department has contracts with Cambridge Education Associates (CEA) for the provision of threshold assessors and external advisers to governing bodies on heads' performance and with the Centre for British Teachers (CfBT) for training in threshold assessment and performance management. For the first round CEA contract costs have been around £22 to £24 million and CfBT contract costs about £12 to £14 million.

Free School Meals

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in each local authority which retains grammar schools, what proportion of children received free school meals (a) in that local authority as a whole, (b) in each grammar school within the authority and (c) in other secondary schools within the authority, at the latest date for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Information showing free school meals figures for grammar schools and other secondary schools for each local education authority is contained in the following tables.
	It is not departmental policy not to release individual school data unless the school has had the opportunity to check it. Schools have not had the opportunity to check their free school meals data.
	
		Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in grammar schools and other maintained secondary school by government office region—January 2001
		
			  Grammar schools Other maintained secondary schools  
			  Number of schools Day pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number of schools Day pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 England 159 141,478 3,393 2.4 3,322 3,085,495 506,283 16.4 
			  
			 North East 
			 Darlington 0 0 0 0.0 7 6,009 949 15.8 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0.0 36 32,158 5,762 17.9 
			 Gateshead 0 0 0 0.0 10 12,043 2,606 21.6 
			 Hartlepool 0 0 0 0.0 6 6,679 1,726 25.8 
			 Middlesbrough 0 0 0 0.0 11 8,572 3,070 35.8 
			 Newcastle-upon-Tyne 0 0 0 0.0 21 18,071 4,573 25.3 
			 North Tyneside 0 0 0 0.0 20 14,174 2,498 17.6 
			 Northumberland 0 0 0 0.0 60 30,478 3,693 12.1 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 0 0 0 0.0 13 10,352 2,361 22.8 
			 South Tyneside 0 0 0 0.0 11 10,508 2,535 24.1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 0 0 0 0.0 13 12,793 2,557 20.0 
			 Sunderland 0 0 0 0.0 17 19,837 5,956 30.0 
			  
			 North West 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 0 0 0 0.0 9 9,501 2,469 26.0 
			 Blackpool 0 0 0 0.0 8 7,824 1,721 22.0 
			 Bolton 0 0 0 0.0 16 19,145 2,973 15.5 
			 Bury 0 0 0 0.0 14 11,731 1,754 15.0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0.0 45 46,239 4,605 10.0 
			 Cumbria (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Halton 0 0 0 0.0 9 8,688 2,083 24.0 
			 Knowsley 0 0 0 0.0 11 10,240 4,612 45.0 
			 Lancashire 4 3,995 117 2.9 85 70,819 11,065 15.6 
			 Liverpool (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Manchester 0 0 0 0.0 23 23,477 10,286 43.8 
			 Oldham 0 0 0 0.0 15 16,825 3,693 21.9 
			 Rochdale 0 0 0 0.0 14 14,154 3,565 25.2 
			 Salford 0 0 0 0.0 16 12,524 3,209 25.6 
			 Sefton 0 0 0 0.0 22 20,676 4,093 19.8 
			 St. Helens 0 0 0 0.0 12 12,159 2,331 19.2 
			 Stockport 0 0 0 0.0 14 16,575 2,325 14.0 
			 Tameside 0 0 0 0.0 18 15,368 3,096 20.1 
			 Trafford 7 6,731 266 4.0 11 9,116 2,175 23.9 
			 Warrington 0 0 0 0.0 12 13,833 1,400 10.1 
			 Wigan 0 0 0 0.0 21 20,855 3,056 14.7 
			 Wirral 4 4,350 237 5.4 19 19,831 6,219 31.4 
			  
			  Yorkshire and the Humber  
			 Barnsley 0 0 0 0.0 14 13,134 3,240 24.7 
			 Bradford 0 0 0 0.0 27 34,214 9,160 26.8 
			 Calderdale 2 1,988 43 2.2 13 12,896 2,430 18.8 
			 Doncaster 0 0 0 0.0 17 21,378 3,829 17.9 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0 0 0 0.0 18 22,627 1,943 8.5 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 0 0 0 0.0 16 16,012 4,324 27.0 
			 Kirklees (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Leeds 0 0 0 0.0 43 47,168 8,482 18.0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0.0 12 11,735 2,421 20.6 
			 North Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0.0 14 10,649 1,435 13.5 
			 North Yorkshire 3 1,954 25 1.3 44 38,262 2,554 6.7 
			 Rotherham 0 0 0 0.0 17 19,845 3,145 15.8 
			 Sheffield 0 0 0 0.0 27 29,861 5,974 20.0 
			 Wakefield 0 0 0 0.0 18 21,279 3,619 17.0 
			 York 0 0 0 0.0 11 9,974 887 8.9 
			  
			 East Midlands 
			 Derby 0 0 0 0.0 14 14,748 2,976 20.2 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0.0 47 47,828 5,109 10.7 
			 Leicester 0 0 0 0.0 16 18,034 4,027 22.3 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0.0 54 44,659 3,081 6.9 
			 Lincolnshire 15 11,987 213 1.8 48 32,006 3,482 10.9 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0.0 60 49,192 5,285 10.7 
			 Nottingham 0 0 0 0.0 20 13,910 5,168 37.2 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0.0 58 54,980 6,978 12.7 
			 Rutland 0 0 0 0.0 3 2,255 113 5.0 
			  
			  West Midlands  
			 Birmingham 8 6,694 333 5.0 69 62,345 22,554 36.2 
			 Coventry 0 0 0 0.0 19 20,963 4,223 20.1 
			 Dudley 0 0 0 0.0 22 19,938 2,995 15.0 
			 Herefordshire 0 0 0 0.0 14 9,824 779 7.9 
			 Sandwell 0 0 0 0.0 20 19,532 4,740 24.3 
			 Shropshire 0 0 0 0.0 22 17,606 1,422 8.1 
			 Solihull 0 0 0 0.0 13 15,586 1,875 12.0 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0.0 69 60,934 5,625 9.2 
			 Stoke-on-Trent (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Telford and Wrekin 2 898 10 1.1 11 9,280 2,023 21.8 
			 Walsall 2 1,369 32 2.3 18 20,015 3,641 18.2 
			 Warwickshire 5 3,180 31 1.0 32 29,478 2,462 8.4 
			 Wolverhampton 0 0 0 0.0 18 16,541 3,710 22.4 
			 Worcestershire 0 0 0 0.0 61 40,308 4,140 10.3 
			  
			  East of England  
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0.0 57 36,987 3,735 10.1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0.0 31 31,023 2,425 7.8 
			 Essex 4 3,014 23 0.8 75 83,237 8,578 10.3 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0.0 86 75,824 5,605 7.4 
			 Luton 0 0 0 0.0 12 12,077 3,251 26.9 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0.0 52 44,383 4,759 10.7 
			 Peterborough 0 0 0 0.0 13 12,961 2,271 17.5 
			 Southend-on-Sea 4 3,726 88 2.4 8 7,641 1,401 18.3 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0.0 78 53,033 5,566 10.5 
			 Thurrock 0 0 0 0.0 10 8,126 1,243 15.3 
			  
			  Inner London  
			 Camden 0 0 0 0.0 10 10,870 3,137 28.9 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 
			 Hackney 0 0 0 0.0 9 7,921 3,514 44.4 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0 0 0 0.0 8 7,181 2,374 33.1 
			 Haringey 0 0 0 0.0 11 11,391 4,584 40.2 
			 Islington 0 0 0 0.0 9 7,583 3,461 45.6 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 0 0 0.0 4 3,665 1,164 31.8 
			 Lambeth 0 0 0 0.0 10 7,213 3,011 41.7 
			 Lewisham 0 0 0 0.0 13 11,661 4,621 39.6 
			 Newham 0 0 0 0.0 15 17,469 7,839 44.9 
			 Southwark 0 0 0 0.0 13 10,221 5,401 52.8 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 0 0 0.0 15 14,087 9,173 65.1 
			 Wandsworth 0 0 0 0.0 9 9,948 2,670 26.8 
			 Westminster 0 0 0 0.0 8 8,021 2,635 32.9 
			  
			 Outer London 
			 Barking and Dagenham 0 0 0 0.0 8 11,079 2,879 26.0 
			 Barnet 3 2,531 26 1.0 18 18,542 3,279 17.7 
			 Bexley 4 4,382 151 3.4 12 13,080 2,065 15.8 
			 Brent 0 0 0 0.0 13 14,480 3,554 24.5 
			 Bromley (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Croydon 0 0 0 0.0 21 17,396 3,375 19.4 
			 Ealing 0 0 0 0.0 13 13,940 4,355 31.2 
			 Enfield (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Greenwich 0 0 0 0.0 14 13,834 4,646 33.6 
			 Harrow 0 0 0 0.0 10 8,874 1,556 17.5 
			 Havering 0 0 0 0.0 18 15,904 1,766 11.1 
			 Hillingdon 0 0 0 0.0 17 16,472 2,440 14.8 
			 Hounslow 0 0 0 0.0 14 16,292 3,213 19.7 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2 1,891 15 0.8 8 6,748 775 11.5 
			 Merton 0 0 0 0.0 11 7,754 1,262 16.3 
			 Redbridge (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 0 0 0.0 8 7,531 1,180 15.7 
			 Sutton 5 4,629 51 1.1 9 9,951 1,081 10.9 
			 Waltham Forest 0 0 0 0.0 16 12,980 3,887 29.9 
			  
			 South East 
			 Bracknell Forest 0 0 0 0.0 6 6,022 289 4.8 
			 Brighton and Hove 0 0 0 0.0 10 12,026 2,112 17.6 
			 Buckinghamshire 13 14,513 179 1.2 21 18,703 2,035 10.9 
			 East Sussex 0 0 0 0.0 26 27,807 3,635 13.1 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0.0 71 70,564 4,628 6.6 
			 Isle of Wight 0 0 0 0.0 21 11,920 1,989 16.7 
			 Kent 33 29,140 634 2.2 72 63,852 8,475 13.3 
			 Medway 6 5,988 186 3.1 14 13,849 1,764 12.7 
			 Milton Keynes 0 0 0 0.0 11 12,058 1,438 11.9 
			 Oxfordshire 0 0 0 0.0 45 38,271 3,641 9.5 
			 Portsmouth 0 0 0 0.0 10 10,108 1,629 16.1 
			 Reading 2 1,447 7 0.5 6 4,833 816 16.9 
			 Slough 4 3,585 177 4.9 7 4,340 1,053 24.3 
			 Southampton 0 0 0 0.0 14 12,235 2,110 17.2 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0.0 53 56,224 3,449 6.1 
			 West Berkshire 0 0 0 0.0 10 11,747 556 4.7 
			 West Sussex 0 0 0 0.0 39 42,818 2,962 6.9 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 0 0 0 0.0 13 10,207 573 5.6 
			 Wokingham 0 0 0 0.0 9 10,758 509 4.7 
			  
			 South East 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0 0 0 0.0 13 12,273 969 7.9 
			 Bournemouth 2 2,077 35 1.7 8 7,693 1,008 13.1 
			 Bristol, City of 0 0 0 0.0 20 17,907 3,669 20.5 
			 Cornwall 0 0 0 0.0 31 32,001 3,905 12.2 
			 Devon (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0.0 37 29,245 1,807 6.2 
			 Gloucestershire 7 5,407 100 1.8 35 32,758 2,575 7.9 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0.0 1 95 6 6.3 
			 North Somerset 0 0 0 0.0 10 12,269 958 7.8 
			 Plymouth 3 2,645 82 3.1 15 16,184 2,547 15.7 
			 Poole 2 1,879 32 1.7 7 6,318 560 8.9 
			 Somerset 0 0 0 0.0 39 30,787 2,773 9.0 
			 South Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0.0 14 16,442 1,238 7.5 
			 Swindon 0 0 0 0.0 10 11,561 1,084 9.4 
			 Torbay 3 2,697 101 3.7 5 6,011 1,109 18.4 
			 Wiltshire 2 1,668 8 0.5 32 26,363 1,820 6.9 
		
	
	(1) These local education authorities only have one specialist secondary school. It is Departmental policy not to release individual school level information unless the school has had the opportunity to check or confirm that information. Schools have not had the opportunity to check their free school meals data.

Departmental Staff

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many employees of (a) her Department and (b) agencies sponsored by her Department work in (i) London, (ii) areas benefiting from EU Objective 1 status, (iii) areas with Objective 2 status and (iv) other areas.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 2 November 2001
	The number of permanent employees in the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) who work in:
	(a) London is 2,037;
	(b) areas benefiting from EU Objective 1 status is 1,134;
	(c) areas with Objective 2 status is 129;
	(d) other areas is 972.
	711 permanent staff also employed by DfES work throughout the Government office network. A breakdown into the above categories could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	DfEs has no agencies.

High Quality Teaching

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how she will monitor expenditure on rewarding high quality teaching over the next three years; and if she will publish the results.

Stephen Timms: We are currently providing funding to support teachers' performance pay through special grants paid to local authorities. A requirement of special grants is that they are fully and properly audited. Auditors appointed by the local authority make certain that the funds are spent for the purposes for which they are paid. Local authorities are required to provide me with copies of these audits. The new special grant, providing £250 million to support performance pay across the period April 2002 to 2004, will be subject to these same audit requirements.

Ministerial Travel

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list overseas visits undertaken by Ministers in the (a) Department for Education and Employment and (b) Department for Education and Skills since 1 May 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The overseas visits undertaken by Ministers since 1 May 1997 are as follows:
	Department for Education and Employment—Secretary of State: 18;
	Ministers of State for Employment: 48;
	Ministers of State for school standards: 5;
	Minister of State for education and employment in the Lords: 41;
	Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for school standards:4;
	Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for employment and equal opportunities: 11;
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for lifelong learning: 17;
	Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for learning and technology: 4.
	Department for Education and Skills—Minister of State for lifelong learning and higher education: 1;
	Minister for school standards: 1.
	All travel complied with the requirements of the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers".

Qualified Teacher Status

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what minimum level of qualifications is required for teachers without qualified teacher status in maintained schools.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Decisions on the suitability of the qualifications held by applicants for employment as teachers in maintained schools are matters for the professional judgments of head teachers taking into account the legal requirements of the Education (Teachers' Qualifications and Health Standards) (England) Regulations 1999 as amended.

Sixth Forms

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have (a) opened and (b) closed sixth forms since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Since 1997 proposals have been approved to open 27 school sixth forms and close 13 school sixth forms.

Sixth Forms

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many sixth forms have closed since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Thirteen proposals for the closure of school sixth forms have been approved since 1997.

Recruitment

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people, with respect to Annexe A of her Department's press release "Recruitment to Teacher Training Hits Seven Year High" of 1 November, are already registered; and what estimate she has made of how many will be registered in the rest of the year.

Stephen Timms: The figures published on 1 November comprised the results of the Teacher Training Agency's annual survey of training providers. As in previous years, these included both the numbers of trainees recruited to courses up to and including 11 October 2001, and providers' estimates of the numbers expected to start training later in the 2001–02 academic year. The Agency's survey showed 28,966 recruits to training, including 1,719 people expected to begin their courses in the spring and summer 2002 terms.
	The estimate of recruitment for 2000–01 that my right hon. Friend published on 20 November 2000 was 0.25 per cent. lower than final recruitment for that year.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft her Department recorded in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; and on how many occasions in those years computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (A) within and (B) outside her Department.

Ivan Lewis: There have been no detected cases of computer hacking, either by insiders or by persons outside of the Department in either 2000 or 2001. There were four cases of insider fraud in each of the years in question. There were three cases of theft of IT equipment by insiders from Departmental offices in 2000 and one case in 2001.

School Governors (Reports)

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will reduce the level of detail required in the annual reports produced by school governors.

Ivan Lewis: Yes, we shall. Earlier this year we consulted on reducing the requirements within both governor's annual reports and school prospectuses, and on the possibility of schools combining these two documents. Following that consultation, we are proceeding with streamlining the requirements and making it easier for schools that choose to do so to combine the two documents. We aim to amend the relevant regulations and send revised guidance to schools early in the new year.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by her Department; if she will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans she has to sell further such assets over the period of the current Comprehensive Spending Review; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 31 October 2001
	The stocks of antiques, paintings and fine wines held by the Department are as follows: There have been no assets sold over the last three years and there are no plans to sell further such assets over the period of the current Spending Review.
	Site: Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith street, London.
	Assets: Suite of Cuban mahogany furniture, inlaid with holly, currently on loan to "The Lake District Art Gallery and Museum Trust" to provide conference room and office furnishings for Blackwell.
	Value: Insurance value of £5,000
	Site: Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith street, London.
	Assets: Six antique clocks, currently in secure storage.
	Value: £500 each
	Site: Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith street, London.
	Assets: 40 paintings and prints, currently on display throughout the building.
	Value: Total value of £7,000
	Site: Caxton House, Tothill street, London.
	Assets: 118 paintings (mainly student works), currently on display throughout the building.
	Value: Total value of £19,451.

Individual Learning Accounts (Bromley)

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in the borough of Bromley had individual learning accounts; how many account holders were the victims of fraud; and what plans there are to allow Beckenham account holders to complete the training plans they had begun.

John Healey: On the basis of the recorded postcode information available, by 31 October 2001, 12,015 people in the borough of Bromley had opened an individual learning account through the national framework launched on 4 September 2000.
	The police have made 30 arrests in England involving four individual learning account (ILA) providers registered at the ILA centre. No allegations of fraud have yet been brought to court.
	The individual learning account centre will continue to accept and process bookings for learning up until 7 December 2001, for all present members. The learning start date to which the bookings relate must be within six months of the date of booking. Learners do not have a deadline in which to complete an episode of learning.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if depleted uranium has been used by (a) US and (b) British forces in Afghanistan.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 5 November 2001, Official Report, columns 27–28W, to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart).

Service Pensions

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the pension paid is to (a) a retired Gurkha and (b) a similar ranking British ex-service man, in money terms and as a percentage;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on how pensions are paid to retired Gurkhas.

Lewis Moonie: Because of their different engagements and career structures, comparing Gurkha and British solider pensions in this way is particularly difficult. 87 per cent. of Gurkhas are discharged in Nepal after 15 years' service and receive an immediate pension. British soldiers discharged at this time would receive no pension until they reached the age of 60.
	The only British and Gurkha rank likely to be discharged at the same point of service is a Warrant Officer Class 1 after 22 years. In this instance, a Gurkha receives an immediate annual pension of £1,672, or 16 per cent. of the £10,283 paid to comparable British ex-servicemen. The difference reflects the Tripartite Agreement between the Governments of the United Kingdom, Nepal and India, and the cost of living in Nepal, where all Gurkhas are discharged. In the Nepalese economy, Gurkha pensions now compare favourably with professional salaries.
	The way in which Gurkha ex-service men receive their pensions depends upon the region in which they live. Those based to the main population centres in Nepal are able to receive their pension either directly into bank accounts or from one of the three Pension Paying Offices in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Itahari. These are manned on a full-time basis and the majority of ex-Gurkhas opt to receive their pension this way.
	Nepal has poor communications, however, and we recognise that the arrangements above do not cater for residents of the more rural and remote areas. For this reason, Gurkha pensions are also paid quarterly, in cash, via Area Welfare Centres. There are 24 of these located throughout Nepal, but concentrated near the main ex-Gurkha populations centres where there are often no banking facilities. Nepal's topography, inclement weather and poor infrastructure, means that it is inevitable that some pensioners will still have to undertake long journeys in order to collect their pension. These difficulties are minimised as far as possible and, where necessary, special arrangements are put in place to enable pensions to be collected on behalf of the sick or infirm.

A400M Project

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the withdrawal by Italy from the A400M project will mean a change in contribution from the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 6 November 2001
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 130W. If Italy stands by the decision it took last month not to continue with the A400M programme at present, the total number of aircraft in the initial order will fall from 212 to 196.
	The final price of the A400M aircraft has yet to be agreed with the contractor. While it is reasonable to assume that such a reduction in overall aircraft numbers will increase our contribution to programme costs, reductions achieved in other aspects of the price negotiation may counterbalance that increase. Accordingly, we do not expect to identify a discrete cost increase associated with Italian withdrawal, should that be confirmed in due course.

Future Aircraft Carrier

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much extra funding is needed for the next phase of the UK's Future Aircraft Carrier programme; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: We are currently discussing the CVF procurement strategy with both candidate prime contractors, BAE Systems and Thales Naval Ltd. We hope to be in a position to make an announcement about the way forward in the next few weeks. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment on funding for the programme at this time.

Army Pensions

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the compensation he proposes to pay to (a) Army pensioners, (b) Army widows and (c) estates which have wrongly had income tax deducted by his Department from their invalidity pensions.

Lewis Moonie: Individuals wrongly taxed receive a refund of tax and an extra amount as compensation for the delay. The Inland Revenue calls this additional payment a repayment supplement. The Income Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (Section 824) governs the way the Inland Revenue calculates the repayment supplement. The precise formula is set out in Statutory Instrument No 1297 of 1989.

Army Pensions

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he will take to identify (a) Army pensioners, (b) Army widows and (c) estates which have wrongly had income tax deducted by his Department from their invalidity pensions.

Lewis Moonie: Following the discovery of a taxation error affecting Army invaliding pensions in 1998, we have manually trawled through individuals' pension files, including widows and dependants, and publicised the matter through the ex-service organisations and the War Widows Association. This publicity has included articles in their journals and circulars. All those identified as being incorrectly taxed, except a small number currently under investigation, have received a full refund with compensation. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to undertake further action on this matter.

Territorial Army

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria he uses to determine whether Territorial Army personnel are fit for role.

Lewis Moonie: Individual members of the Territorial Army (TA) are considered fit for role when they have completed two phases of training. Phase 1 is recruit training, which is either delivered in a two-week package or over a series of weekends. Phase 2 is to prepare them to a standard at which they can train with their unit, and this phase will vary in length depending on an individual's role and trade.

TREASURY

VAT (Home Repairs)

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library documents relating to studies concerning the lowering of VAT for home repairs and renovations undertaken by his Department in the last five years.

Paul Boateng: It would be inappropriate to publish research relating to internal policy analysis, in accordance with exemption 2 of the code of practice on access to government information.

Excise Duties

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in respect of offences concerning excise duties in the single market how many people were sentenced; what were the total of sentences passed, broken down by months; what the total sum of (a) court fines and costs and (b) compound settlements was; how many vehicles were seized; and how much was paid for restoration in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02 to date.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 5 November 2001
	For vehicle seizures in 1999–2000, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Paymaster General gave on 15 January 2001, Official Report, column 125W, and for 2000–01 and 2001–02, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 30 October 2001, Official Report, column 624W. Information for 1999–2000, in relation to excise duties or the single market, on how many people were sentenced, what the total of sentences passed was, broken down by months, what the total sum of fines, costs and compound penalties were is contained in the Customs and Excise annual report for 1999–2000, presented to Parliament in March 2000. The same information for 2000–01 will be published in the Customs and Excise annual report for 2000–01, which will be published shortly. The figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of strategic exports to (a) strategic and (b) other destinations were detected by HM Customs and Excise in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02 to date.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The number of detections of strategic and proliferation goods to sensitive and other destinations during the financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01 were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			  To sensitive destinations 
			 1999–2000 238 
			 2000–01 188 
			   
			  To other destinations 
			 1999–2000 245 
			 2000–01 232 
		
	
	The figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were searched by HM Customs and Excise officers under section 164 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 to date.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Figures for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are not yet available. In 1999–2000, HM Customs and Excise conducted 19,246 searches under section 164 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of exports involving breaches of UN sanctions were detected by Customs and Excise in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 to date.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The number of exports in breach of UN sanctions detected by HM Customs and Excise during the financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01 were 27 and 38 respectively. Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of revenue evasion (a) generally, (b) of customs duties and (c) of common agricultural policy export refunds, that were prevented by HM Customs and Excise in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02.

Paul Boateng: The total VAT and excise revenue evasion prevented by Customs and Excise in 1999–2000 was published in the Customs and Excise annual report. For the year 2000–01, the figure will be published in the Customs and Excise annual report that will be published in due course.
	HM Customs and Excise does not calculate the revenue evasion prevented for customs duties and common agricultural policy export refunds.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) people were sentenced and (b) prison sentences were passed, broken down by month and what was the total of (i) court fines and costs and (ii) company settlements in respect of Customs and Excise non-fiscal prohibitions and restrictions in (1) 1999–2000, (2) 2000–01 and (3) 2001–02.

Paul Boateng: This information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Terrorism (Departmental Spending)

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what (a) proportion and (b) amount of all spending by Departments on the action against terrorism he forecasts will be met in the current financial year from funds in the reserves;
	(2)  if he will provide a breakdown of the costs which he forecasts will arise over the current financial year as a direct result of the war on terrorism for each Department directly affected.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 26 October 2001
	It would be inappropriate to forecast the costs of operations and other related activities at this stage.

Railtrack

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the loss to UK pension funds of the suspension of shares in Railtrack.

Andrew Smith: The value of Railtrack shares at the time of administration was around £1.5 billion, and no institutional investor held more than 5 per cent. of the shares at the time of administration.
	The Government are actively working with the board of Railtrack Group to assist shareholders in achieving fair value for assets they hold.

Railtrack

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he was told that a decision had been taken that Railtrack was to go into administration.

Andrew Smith: The Chancellor was informed of the decision that Railtrack would go into administration on Friday evening, 5 October.

Terrorist Finance Unit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional expenditure he plans to make to support the work of the new asset tracking unit; how many staff it will have; and when it will be operational.

Andrew Smith: The costs of the terrorist finance unit will be met from within existing spending plans. It will initially have eight staff and is expected to become fully operational by 30 November 2001.

VAT

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) persons registered for VAT, (b) repayment traders, (c) new VAT registrations and (d) VAT deregistrations there were and what the net increase or decrease in the register was in the financial years (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02 to the most recent date for which information is available.

Paul Boateng: The data for the information requested for the year 1999–2000 can be found in Customs and Excise annual report. Figures for 2000–01 will be published in Customs and Excise annual report in November 2001.
	The latest information was placed in the House of Commons Library in September 2001 in the form of a VAT fact sheet, which is produced every four months.

VAT

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportions of average household expenditure were (a) taxable at the standard rate of VAT, (b) taxable at the reduced rate of VAT, (c) taxable at the zero rate of VAT and (d) exempt from VAT in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999, (iii) 2000 and (iv) at the most recent date for which information is available.

Paul Boateng: The figures for 1998–99 are published in table C7 of the tables and statistics accompanying the Customs and Excise annual report. Figures for 1999–2000 are available on the Customs and Excise website www.hmce.gov.uk/general/about/index.htm.

VAT

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of each of the structural reliefs for VAT in (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01; and what his estimate is of the cost of each such relief in the current financial year.

Paul Boateng: Estimates for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 were published in table A3.1 of the Budget Financial Statement and Budget Report.
	Estimates for 2001–02 will be published in the annual tax ready reckoner at the time of the pre-Budget report.

VAT

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total yield of (a) value added tax and (b) excise duty in each of the last four years.

Paul Boateng: Receipts of value added tax and excise duty for the financial years 1997–98 to 1999–2000 are published in table A1 of the tables and statistics accompanying the Customs and Excise annual report for 2000.
	Details for the year 2000–01 can be found in the national statistics publication "Financial Statistics", table 2.1D.

Working Families Tax Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) of 30 October 2001, Official Report, column 625W, on the working families tax credit, 
	(1)  how many applications have been selected for further inquiry;
	(2)  how many applications have been selected for further inquiry.

Dawn Primarolo: Since 1 April 2001, 18 WFTC applications have been referred for a full inquiry. Four inquiries resulted in child care being overpaid and the recovery of £4,201.88 of overpaid tax credits.

Equitable Life

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice was given to the Financial Services Authority about the Equitable Life Assurance Society; and when the FSA was given responsibility for the regulation of Equitable Life under the service level agreement dated 18 December 1998.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the section of chapter 4 of the report of the Financial Services Authority headed "The Inheritance Period". Responsibility for the prudential regulation of the life insurance industry, including Equitable Life, passed to the FSA on 1 January 1999.

Equitable Life

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he approved the terms and references of the FSA review of the regulation of the Equitable Life Assurance Society.

Ruth Kelly: The FSA review and its terms of reference were established by the board of the FSA. The terms of reference were published on 22 December 2000.

Equitable Life

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the Personal Investment Authority ombudsman to resume investigation of complaints from policyholders of the Equitable Life Assurance Society; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The service provided by the PIA ombudsman is impartial and independent and the Treasury does not have the power to instruct the PIA ombudsman.
	Under the current regime for regulation of investment business, established under the Financial Services Act 1986, the PIA ombudsman provides a complaints resolution service for customers of firms authorised by the PIA, including the Equitable Life Assurance Society. From 1 December 2001, the PIA ombudsman will be replaced by the Financial Ombudsman Service. However, the independence of the ombudsman will remain unchanged.

Equitable Life

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons Mr. Ronnie Baird and his team have no access to documents held by Equitable Life or its advisers in preparation of the FSA report on the review of the regulation of the Equitable Life Assurance Society.

Ruth Kelly: The terms of reference drawn up by the FSA board asked the review team to report on the discharge of its functions by the Financial Services Authority and the Personal Investment Authority. The review team had full access to files held by HM Treasury, the Financial Services Authority and the Government Actuary's Department. The review team did not deem it appropriate or necessary to extend the review to include obtaining access to documents in the possession of Equitable Life or any of its advisers. The report will be an important source of evidence to the independent inquiry being undertaken by Lord Penrose, which will be able to look carefully into the actions of Equitable over the years.

Euro Counterfeiting

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Pericles programme will cover euro-counterfeiting in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Pericles programme will cover euro-counterfeiting in all member states, including the United Kingdom.
	Counterfeiting of any currency is a serious criminal offence in the United Kingdom. The Government are committed to the principle of protection of the euro against counterfeiting, and to take action to support and supplement anti-counterfeiting measures with appropriate staff training and sharing of information. It is important that the United Kingdom should contribute to efforts to develop and share best practice among member states.

Pensions Mis-selling

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that penalties imposed by the FSA on insurance companies for mis-selling should be a charge to shareholders and not to with-profits funds; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Government's response to the Treasury Committee's ninth report 1997–98 session, "The Mis-selling of Personal Pensions", which was published by the Committee as its first special report on 12 January 1998.

Exercise Saif Sareea

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requests were submitted to the Treasury from the MOD for funds for equipment upgrade for desert conditions relating to exercises in Oman; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: I assume that the hon. Gentleman's question relates to the recent UK armed forces' Exercise Saif Sareea 2 in Oman. The answer is none.

VAT Returns

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was raised by Customs and Excises in 2000–01 from penalties imposed upon VAT-registered traders for late returns of VAT forms; and what is the estimate for 2001–02.

Paul Boateng: During 2000–01, penalties totalling £87 million were incurred by traders defaulting on their VAT payments. The amount incurred in 2001–02 will be lower, reflecting the sympathetic approach taken by Customs towards businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak, the reform of the penalty regime for businesses with a turnover of up to £100,000, and other recent initiatives to help small businesses to manage their VAT payments.

Economic Cycle

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition of the economic cycle he employs for the purpose of calculating the cyclically adjusted budget surplus or deficit; what his assessment is of the typical lengths of an economic cycle; and what assessment he has made of the (a) start and (b) end date of the last economic cycle.

Andrew Smith: The Treasury's methodology for assessing trend growth and the output gap is set out in the publication "Fiscal policy: public finances and the cycle", HM Treasury, March 1999.
	Paragraphs 2.35 and 2.36 of Budget 2001 set out the assessment of the last cycle; this will be updated in the next pre-Budget report.

Landfill Tax Credits

Sue Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the 65 per cent. indicative targets for diverting landfill tax credits towards sustainable waste management are mandatory; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The indicative targets for diverting landfill tax credits to sustainable waste management are not mandatory. In May this year the Government set the waste industry a challenging target of 65 per cent. of landfill tax credits to be allocated to sustainable waste management projects. The Government will review progress in forthcoming Budget reports.

Landfill Tax Credits

Sue Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the performance of organisations seeking to divert 65 per cent. of landfill tax credits towards sustainable waste management projects will be measured.

Paul Boateng: Data on the allocation of contributions to projects under the landfill tax credit scheme are reported by environmental bodies to Entrust, the regulator of the scheme. The Government will review progress based on this information in forthcoming Budget reports.

Fuel Duty

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest submission from the Road Haulage Association on fuel duty.

Paul Boateng: The Government are grateful for all representations and the Road Haulage Association's submission was read with interest. This will be considered in the context of the Chancellor's Budget judgment.

Climate Change Levy

Dave Watts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what impact the introduction of the climate change levy has had on the net tax paid by (a) manufacturing industry and (b) the service sector.

Paul Boateng: The climate change levy package, including the reduction in employer NICs and support for energy efficiency investments, is expected to be broadly revenue neutral to manufacturing industry and to the service sector.

National Insurance

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees have been paying national insurance contributions in each year since 1995.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates for the number of UK employees paying national insurance contributions (NICs) are given in the table.
	
		Million 
		
			  Estimated number of employees paying NICs 
		
		
			 1995–96 22.1 
			 1996–97 22.6 
			 1997–98 22.8 
			 1998–99 23.6 
			 1999–2000 24.1 
			 2000–01 n/a 
		
	
	These estimates are based on the national insurance recording system. I regret that information is not yet sufficiently complete for 2000–01 to provide a reliable estimate.
	This series reflects the increasing number of people in work who earn more than the lower earnings limit.
	For 2000–01 and 2001–02, there should be a reduction in the number of employees paying NICs as the starting point for paying NICs has been increased and aligned with the income tax personal allowance. The benefit entitlement of employees who no longer pay NICs because of this change has been protected.

IT Contracts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the Information Technology contracts in excess of £500,000 let by his Department or its predecessor since April 1991, giving in each case the original estimated cost and original estimated completion date, the actual cost and actual completion date and the names of the contractors involved and consultants retained by his Department.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 17 July 2001
	I have arranged for the information requested by my right hon. Friend to be placed in the Library.

Self-Assessment Forms

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was raised by the Inland Revenue in 2000–01 from penalties imposed for late returns by taxpayers of self-assessment forms; and what is the estimate for 2001–02.

Dawn Primarolo: For the Inland Revenue's accounts year November 1999-October 2000, receipts from self- assessment penalties totalled £33 million. Figures for subsequent accounts years are not yet available.

Corporate Tax Harmonisation

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on EU plans for the harmonisation of corporate taxes by 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's view is that fair tax competition is the way forward for Europe not proposals for tax harmonisation. The Government will not support any action at European level that will threaten jobs or the competitive position of British business.

Tax Credit System

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of problems that recipients of the tax credit system have in understanding the system; and what steps he will take to ensure that further reforms to the system are easily comprehensible to intended recipients in the lower earning quintiles.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have established a comprehensive programme to monitor and evaluate the existing system of tax credits. Recipients' experiences with the current system are a part of this process and are being considered in the design of the new tax credits.

National Insurance Fund

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the balance of the national insurance fund was (a) in total and (b) above the Government Actuary's recommended margin (i) in April 2000 and (ii) in April 2001; and what is the forecast on the basis of plans for April 2002.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 5 November 2001
	I refer my hon. Friend to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General—national insurance fund account 1999–2000 (HC446)—and the report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating (No. 2) Order 2000 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2001 (Cm 4933).
	These reports are available in the Library of the House.

Tax Evasion

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in the Inland Revenue were devoted to (a) tax evasion in general and (b) offshore and international tax evasion in each year since 1996; and what his estimate is for 2001 and his plans for 2002.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 5 November 2001
	A substantial number of staff in the Inland Revenue work on countering tax evasion, but for very many of them this is only a part of their job. Similarly, staff dealing with offshore and international tax evasion may also handle domestic issues. I regret therefore that information is not available in the form in which my hon. Friend has asked for it.

Bee Diseases Insurance Ltd.

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Bee Diseases Insurance Ltd. will be exempted from levy under the Policyholders Protection Act 1975; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: Bee Diseases Insurance Ltd. would be required to pay a levy were one to be raised under the Policyholders Protection Act 1975. However, on 1 December 2001 the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) will supersede the Policyholders Protection Scheme (established under the Policyholders Protection Act 1975). The Financial Services Authority has consulted on the rules for the FSCS and will be issuing the rules shortly.

Financial Services Authority

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what comments the Treasury made to the Remuneration Committee of the FSA on the reputation of the FSA after consultation, prior to the decision of the FSA to reduce the chairman's bonus in January;
	(2)  what conclusion the Treasury formed by December 2000 on the performance of the FSA since January 1999; and how this was communicated to the Remuneration Committee of the FSA.

Ruth Kelly: It would not be appropriate to disclose any information, opinions and assessments given in confidence in relation to public employment.

Inland Revenue

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what circumstances an employee of the Inland Revenue is permitted to make an inquiry about a person whose tax affairs were dealt with by another Inland Revenue office.

Dawn Primarolo: There are many circumstances in which an Inland Revenue officer may need to make inquiries about a taxpayer, some of whose affairs are dealt with by another office. For example, an officer dealing with a company's tax affairs may need information about individual directors. Or a formal inquiry into a tax return may be carried out at a different office from that which issued the return, depending on the availability of staff.
	Staff are prohibited from making inquiries or searching for data about any taxpayer except in the performance of their official duties. But those duties may often take them across the boundaries of different offices.

Inland Revenue

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what circumstances an Inland Revenue inquiry about a person's financial circumstances is entitled to lead to further inquiries about that person's immediate relatives (a) generally and (b) in respect of their financial affairs.

Dawn Primarolo: In a formal inquiry into a tax return, an officer is statutorily entitled to ask for information which he requires in order to determine whether the return is incorrect and, if so, to what extent. Information about relatives may be relevant to that inquiry. For example, in a case where the business records are incomplete, the best way to measure the true level of income may be to estimate the taxpayer's expenditure. In that case, information about the cost of maintaining dependent relatives and their contribution to household expenses may be relevant, and may be legitimately required by the investigator.
	The results of any inquiry into one family member may show that there is a risk of tax evasion by another. There is no bar on the Inland Revenue using that information in deciding whether to inquire into the tax affairs of the second family member.

Princess Diana Memorial Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the loss recorded in the Royal Mint annual report for 2000–01 includes a sum which is owed to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund.

Ruth Kelly: The loss recorded in the Royal Mint annual report for 2000–01 does not include any proceeds owed to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund.

Princess Diana Memorial Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sum from the proceeds of the minting of £5 coins in 1999 in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales has been paid over to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund.

Ruth Kelly: The sale of commemorative and collector coins in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales raised £7,393,000 by 25 July 2001. This will be used to offset voted expenditure on projects put forward by the Diana Memorial committee. It was never intended to pay the proceeds into the Princess Diana Memorial Fund.
	The main projects are: a playground in Kensington Gardens, opened in July 2000; a walkway running through London's Royal Parks—Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James' Park; a fountain in Hyde Park by the Serpentine, due to be built by summer 2003; and the establishment of eight Diana Nursing Teams, each led by paediatric nurses trained in palliative care, to work in the community providing support to children with life limiting conditions, and their carers, as an alternative to hospital based care.
	The total cost of the park projects to date is £6,000,000. The Diana Nursing Teams cost £2,000,000 in 1999–2000 and £2,000,000 in 2000–01, and further expenditure is intended to continue and expand the programme in future years.

Royal Mint

David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the Royal Mint directed banks not to accept £5 commemorative coins from their customers, but to direct customers to the Post Office.

Ruth Kelly: A Royal Mint team was established in order to review the system for issuing and returning UK circulation commemorative crown coins. This was a result of growing concerns regarding the total volume of returns, a number of 25p (5 shilling) crowns mixed in with consignments of £5 crowns, abuse of the current distribution system and to monitor any counterfeits.
	In order for the Royal Mint to log and analyse the returns we agreed with the UK banks and the Post Office that for ease of handling, processing and payment, all commemorative crowns should be returned via the Post Office. So, the UK banks were advised to refer customers wishing to repatriate crowns to their nearest post office whereby they can exchange them for goods and services.
	Despite this agreement we continue to receive a small number of these crowns from some banks however, we are trying to encourage them to channel all returns via the Post Office.
	This exercise is currently on-going and for the reasons outlined above we would not want to change the arrangement in the immediate future.

Social Security (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the level of social security contributions in Scotland over each of the last five years (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of the United Kingdom total.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 2 November 2001
	Estimates of social security contributions relating to residents of Scotland can be found in the Scottish Executive publication "Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland, 1998–99".

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Fireworks

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage compliance by the fireworks industry with the voluntary code of practice on the sale of fireworks prior to 5 November.

Melanie Johnson: We have held discussions with representative bodies of the fireworks industry and some larger retailers to agree dates for this year's voluntary sales period and to consider its effectiveness. In addition we have asked LACOTS (Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards) to remind trading standards departments of the voluntary code. We intend to review the effectiveness of the agreement after the fireworks seasons, and I would be interested in any evidence about how well the code is working.

Sub-Post Offices

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is proposing to prevent more sub-post offices closing in the next 12 months.

Douglas Alexander: Implementation of the performance and innovation unit recommendations, all of which were accepted by the Government, will help to modernise and sustain the whole post office network. The Government are committed to providing transitional financial assistance to rural post offices and decisions on this will be taken following advice from the Postal Services Commission, which is expected later in the autumn. In addition, we have made available a £2 million fund to support volunteer and community initiatives to maintain or reopen post office facilities in rural areas where traditional services would otherwise close. £15 million of ring-fenced money has been earmarked for the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to help sustain and improve post offices in deprived urban areas.

Universal Bank

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress on the universal bank.

Douglas Alexander: Progress is being made on the detailed implementation for universal banking services and they remain on schedule for introduction when benefit payment migration begins in 2003.

Universal Bank

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the respective responsibilities are of her Department and the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to the universal bank.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is co-ordinating the work to modernise the payment of pensions, benefits and tax credits along with the introduction of universal banking services. The DTI retains shareholder responsibility for Consignia and responsibility for sponsorship of the post office network.

Broadband

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on cross-border co-operation on broadband capacity purchasing from (a) Cumbria, (b) the Scottish Borders and (c) Dumfries and Galloway; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 5 November 2001
	In each of these pathfinder areas the authorities are working with local partners to develop the provision of broadband. Cross-border discussions have taken place, but there have been no specific proposals brought to my attention regarding capacity purchasing.

Broadband

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made towards connection of the UK's rural communities to broadband telecommunications networks.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The Government are working to make the broadband market more extensive and competitive. The market has developed so far to the point where over 60 per cent. of UK households are able to access one or more of ADSL, cable or wireless broadband technologies. We have already established the £30 million fund for RDAs and the devolved Administrations to develop schemes to extend broadband networks, and will announce a further range of measures in response to the recommendations of the broadband stakeholder group.

3G Technology

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the (a) Treasury and (b) Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions concerning 3G mobile phone licences.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The Treasury was a member of the auction steering group that established the auction process leading to the award of the 3G licences. The Treasury and the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions were involved in the production of the information memorandum sent to prospective participants in the 3G auction.
	My officials also liaise with the DTLR as necessary on planning issues affecting telecommunications, including those related to the installation of masts and other equipment for 3G networks.

3G Technology

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimates her Department has made of the increase in demand for mobile phone masts that will result from the implementation of 3G technology; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The number of mobile masts needed for third generation mobile communications systems depends upon a wide range of assumptions about demand and technical issues. These are commercial decisions for the licensees. The Department is encouraging operators to minimise the number of installations needed by sharing facilities as long as this does not disproportionately reduce competition.

Retailer Code of Practice

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce a retailer code of practice; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 5 November 2001
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 31 October that she had asked the Director General of Fair Trading to seek to obtain undertakings from the four leading supermarket chains to comply with the code of practice on relations between supermarkets and their suppliers. A copy of her announcement and the Code have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Corporate Insolvency Liabilities

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to improve directors' awareness of their corporate insolvency liabilities.

Melanie Johnson: The Insolvency Service has produced a guide which informs directors of companies what duties and responsibilities they have if their company is subject to insolvency procedures. The Insolvency Service has also ensured that the information provided by Companies House to the officers of newly formed companies contains details of the responsibilities they have while managing limited companies.
	In addition, when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry successfully applies to have an unfit director disqualified from acting as a director, or accepts an undertaking not to act in that capacity, a press release is issued in local newspapers and trade journals relevant to the insolvent company. This provides details of the director's misconduct complained of in the application to disqualify and this reporting assists greatly in the drive to increase the business community's awareness of the dangers of running a company while insolvent.
	The company law review has made proposals for a more general codification of the duties of directors under company law and the Department is studying them.

Energy Consumption

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has in the next edition of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, to publish disaggregated data for energy consumption by (a) the agricultural sector, (b) the public administration sector and (c) the commercial sector; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: Energy consumption data by (a) the agriculture sector, (b) the public administration sector and (c) the commercial sector are published each July for the latest three years in the "Digest of UK Energy Statistics", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. Data for 1998, 1999 and 2000 appeared in Tables 1.1 to 1.3 in this year's edition, while data for earlier years are available in previous editions of the Digest.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Governments of other countries bordering Afghanistan on the need to reopen their borders to Afghan refugees.

Clare Short: We are working closely with the UN and other donors to persuade all of Afghanistan's neighbours to open their borders. We continue to urge all neighbouring countries to adopt an open border policy and to allow those seeking refuge safe passage.
	We should not underestimate the burden that refugees have placed on these countries. Pakistan and Iran in particular have provided generously for millions of refugees for many years. However, these neighbouring countries have the assurance that donors will provide generously for the care of these refugees. The UK has so far contributed £3 million to UNHCR for its work in the region—a combination of financial and practical support, including specialist personnel and shelter material. We are also supporting the work of a number of NGOs in neighbouring countries.
	In addition, we have set aside £11 million for immediate short-term support to the poorer communities of Pakistan, especially those most directly affected by the influx of refugees from Afghanistan. On 18 October, I announced a further £15 million package to support the Government of Pakistan in its continuing reforms and in its efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis for Afghans.

Afghanistan

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she gives to the UN to enable it to co-ordinate properly the humanitarian operation; and how she will help the UN to fulfil its humanitarian goals in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: My Department has set aside £40 million to respond to the current crisis affecting Afghans in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries. About £22 million has already been allocated to agencies for their work in the region to fulfil their humanitarian goals. This includes £14 million to UN agencies. Our financial assistance is complemented by the provision of technical personnel, logistical, material and other practical support.
	Co-ordination for humanitarian assistance is the responsibility of the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which has appointed a regional humanitarian co-ordinator based in Islamabad. We have provided £1 million to OCHA in response to the current crisis to support these co-ordination efforts. This includes the provision of technical personnel to set up a humanitarian information centre (HIC) that will collate and communicate humanitarian information on the needs and programmes to all concerned agencies. This contribution will also be used to increase the capacity of the offices of the UN resident co-ordinators in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan.
	We have also provided £1 million to support the work of Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, who is charged with the responsibility of supervising the UN humanitarian effort in Afghanistan and negotiating the political settlement necessary to bring the conflict to an end.

Sierra Leone

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what non-governmental organisations and charities her Department supports in Sierra Leone.

Clare Short: Non-governmental organisations and charities directly supported by DFID in Sierra Leone are listed. This excludes those non-governmental organisations that receive assistance from the international organisations such as the humanitarian agencies of the United Nations, which DFID also supports.
	NGOs supported by DFID in Sierra Leone
	1. Action Aid
	2. Adventist Development and Relief Agency Sierra Leone
	3. CARE
	4. Catholic Relief Services
	5. Children's Aid Direct
	6. Christian Aid
	7. Concern Worldwide
	8. Conciliation Resources
	9. International Committee of the Red Cross
	10. International Medical Corps
	11. Lutheran World Federation
	12. Marie Stopes
	13. Medical Research Council/Sierra Leone
	14. Mercy Ships
	15. Rural Aid
	16. Save the Children Fund
	17. World Relief
	18. World Vision.

Sierra Leone

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list her Department's spending in Sierra Leone in the last 12 months.

Clare Short: Since November 2000, DFID expenditure on the Sierra Leone programme has been as follows:
	
		
			 Sierra Leone programme  £ million 
		
		
			 Security Sector (includes Police and Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration programme) 11.645 
			 Governance (includes support to Media development, Law Development, Anti-corruption, Governance reform and Elections) 1.838 
			 Humanitarian Assistance 5.679 
			 Budgetary Support 19.500 
			 Other technical cooperation costs 1.936 
			  
			 Total 40.598

Departmental Publications

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in the financial years (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98, (d) 1998–99 (e) 1999–2000 and (f) 2000–01; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: We have since 1997 published all our major strategy documents, including all country and institutional strategy papers, as well as major consultation papers and speeches. Our publishing output has therefore expanded considerably.
	We do not produce anything which we would regard as campaign material. Our spending on publications over the period in question is as follows:
	
		
			 Year £000 
		
		
			 1995–96 352 
			 1996–97 318 
			 1997–98 166 
			 1998–99 347 
			 1999–2000 570 
			 2000–01 639 
		
	
	We do not have a specific advertising budget. However, the bulk of our paid advertising is in relation to recruitment advertising in newspapers and journals. This costs between £1 million to £1.2 million annually.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the (a) humanitarian situation and (b) situation of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Clare Short: A recent Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) study on food security reported the DRC as having the world's most dramatic rise in malnutrition. This affects nearly two-thirds of the population. Infant and maternal mortality figures also continue to rise. With some progress on the peace process and a gradual improvement in access for humanitarian agencies, we have this year substantially increased the level of support for humanitarian work.
	The children of the DRC have a particularly vulnerable status. School enrolment is low and three out of four of these children drop out before they are able to finish their education. We have been particularly concerned about the use of child soldiers in the conflict and have repeatedly called on all parties to respect the rights of the child and urge them to initiate disarmament, demobilisation and rehabilitation programmes for children. We will continue to monitor the situation and call for all parties to respect and promote the rights of the child.

Development Awareness

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work has been undertaken by her Department with trade unions to promote development awareness.

Clare Short: Trade unions are one of the groups identified as a priority in our strategy paper on building support for development.
	At the level of individual projects, we are supporting the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) to increase awareness and understanding of international development issues among workplace trade union representatives and the TGWU members.
	We also support a project administered by Labour and Society International to develop new modules and teaching materials on the theme of international development for officials, educators and members of the Manufacturing, Science and Finance union (MSF).

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Lancashire Townscapes

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those industrial townscapes in Lancashire that are being considered by English Heritage for protection; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: English Heritage has proposed that the St. Mary's conservation area in Nelson should be extended and has requested that my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts use her reserve powers for this purpose. My right hon. Friend is considering the request. I understand that English Heritage is funding a survey of historic and industrial towns in Lancashire to assist local authorities carry out their functions relating to the historic environment, including the designation of conservation areas. However, English Heritage has no current plans to ask my right hon. Friend to designate any further conservation areas.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans have been made by (a) her Department and (b) institutions involved in the preparation for Holocaust Memorial Day 2002.

Kim Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle) on 1 November 2001, Official Report, column 851W.

Television

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Government's policy in relation to the switchover to digital television.

Kim Howells: The Government's policy, as set out in the White Paper "A New Future for Communications" is to complete the switchover to digital terrestrial television as soon as possible, and we believe that it is realistic to aim for the period 2006–10. On 12 October, we issued a draft action plan, which is a technical, consultative document aimed at the key stakeholders who will need to work together to make progress towards switchover. The draft plan sets out the issues on which action needs to be taken, both by the Government and by the industry; to enable and encourage take up of digital television, to identify who should lead on those issues, and to set target dates for delivery. We intend to publish an agreed plan by the end of the year.

Television

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what date she expects (a) Channel 5, (b) digital terrestrial TV and (c) cable TV services to be available in the High Peak constituency.

Kim Howells: (a) I do not expect the availability of analogue Channel 5 services to be increased because the priority is to use available spectrum for the development of digital terrestrial television (DTT). I understand, however, that these services are available in some areas of the High Peak constituency: coverage details can be found on Channel 5's website at: www.channel5.co.uk. (b) The BBC and ITC, who are responsible for the DTT transmission network, are considering, in consultation with Government and stakeholders, how to improve coverage of all DTT multiplexes across the UK and coverage information is available on the Digital Television Group website: www.dtg.org.uk. No date has been set for the provision of DTT throughout High Peak. (c) This is a commercial matter for the cable operators: I am not aware that any operator has plans to supply cable across the High Peak area.

Tourism Industry

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the outcome of her recent meeting with senior leaders of the tourism industry.

Tessa Jowell: I, together with my hon. Friend the Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting, met leading figures from the tourism industry on 10 and 11 October at Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire. This meeting was convened to discuss the immediate difficulties facing the industry in the wake of the foot and mouth outbreak and the terrorist attacks of 11 September, but also to agree the necessary programme for long term strategic reform of the industry to achieve more consistent high standards and better value for money.
	The main conclusions for action from the meeting include: the urgent need for tourism bodies to review their programmes so as best to meet the needs of the current difficulties; the importance of acting in the new spirit of partnership between industry and Government; the creation of the CBI chaired voice for tourism, the Tourism Alliance; the need to focus public sector resources on improving co-ordination of marketing, rationalising tourism data collection so that it is more useful, improving the quality of product, strengthening service through improved training and skills and developing better tourist information, including through the use of the internet.
	The following table sets these conclusions out in more detail.
	
		Tourism Industry Seminar—Outcomes
		
			  Who to lead Timescale 
		
		
			  Immediate short term action(2) 
			 The London Tourist Board and the English Tourism Council have been asked to review their programmes, working with the industry, to meet the new circumstances. DCMS Ministers are ready to see more than £60 million already available directed to marketing to the domestic market. The hotel and major attractions industry are creating packages to offer to the domestic market. DCMS will chase progress and encourage and support co-operation of this sort. Industry and associations, LTB, ETC, DCMS Immediate 
			
			 The British Tourist Authority is re-designing its overseas marketing campaign, in close consultation with key industry partners in the UK and overseas BTA End of October 
			
			 Other measures which might provide effective assistance are being examined. The Industry has made a number of proposals. DCMS October 
			
			 Ministers are strong advocates of and for the industry. DCMS October 
			 Ministers and officials are in constant discussion with the tourism industry about the impact of the events in America. DCMS Ongoing 
			
			 Medium term action(3)   
			 We will create a voice for the tourism sector which reflects the diversity of its main core industries and ensures a coherent view is put to Government on key opportunities and issues of common concern. CBI-supported Tourism Alliance Launched October, starts November 2001 
			
			 Ministers are ready to develop strong and more co-ordinated arrangements for the marketing of English tourism to the domestic market in response to the views of the industry. We are ready to concentrate public sector resources on three areas—marketing coordination, data gathering, and quality assessment. This will mean reducing support on other areas. Marketing co-ordination should have a strong private sector lead and embrace regional and local government spending. DCMS, ETC and the industry to develop new arrangements. First discussion at November Tourism Forum. New plan within six months. 
			
			 We will strengthen regional arrangements. We are committed to closer marketing co-ordination at regional level, development of strong sub-regional brands, and implementation of TIC modernisation. RDAs, RTBs and local authorities Proposals to Secretary of State by end of November. 
			
			 We are ready to develop a "Fitness for purpose" approach to better regulation of hotels and restaurants. The aim is to bring together the many regulatory controls, and make them into a basic and strong assurance to customers. Premises not meeting the standard would be improved or closed. Arrangements for modernising alcohol and entertainment licensing, and gaming, will go ahead in parallel. DCMS with key Department and Local Government Association. Report to Secretary of State by end December. 
			
			 We will bring together the many sources of public sector data on tourism performance and trends and create a partnership with the private sector to give the industry and Ministers the information which is needed to decide policy, make investments, and improve service to the customer. The first step is to rationalise what is there at present and improve coherence and leadership. One objective will be to undertake a public attitude survey, and another to report annually. There will be a regional and local dimension to this but the first phase will look at national information and data. DCMS, ETC, BTA Prepare remit for Secretary of State's approval within one month. 
			
			 We will follow a fresh approach to training and skills. Our ambition is to create a major new skills body embracing the major industries of the sector. It will drive an improvement in service quality and career opportunities. Ministers will back it strongly within Government and ensure a fair share of resources is available to support effective new arrangements. Industry to convene, Ministers to back it in Government. To be set up and seek recognition by Government by December. 
			 We will ensure wide adoption of the productivity and performance improvement techniques emerging for the Government supported "Productivity for Profit" initiative. Industry Launched. Review in 2002. 
			
			 We will build on the EnglandNet and other e-tourism initiatives to create a strong network of tourist information services and to encourage the take up by small and micro-businesses of electronic means of communication and booking. ETC, DCMS, Industry, RDAs. First stage by April 2002. 
		
	
	(2) Our approach will be to ensure Government and industry understands and appraises the impact of current challenges, co-ordinate public sector and private sector responses to those challenges, and for the public sector to make a direct contribution where that is justified.
	(3) We will take this action in a new spirit of partnership between industry and Government. The industry will take the lead in modernising, improving quality and product development. Government will support where better regulation and co-ordination of public services is needed. Ministers will review in three months whether the current distribution of responsibilities supporting the joint programme is working well enough and will meet with industry again in six months to review the progress of the whole programme. All the initial action is to be taken within six months and further assignments then agreed at a further joint meeting with industry leaders.

Sport England

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport where Sport England receives its revenue from.

Richard Caborn: Sport England receives annual grant in aid from my Department which amounted to £37.4 million in 2000–01. It also received income in that year of £9.2 million from other sources including operating receipts from the National Sports Centres and from the sale of publications.

Commonwealth Stadium

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost is of the compensation for the proposed use of the Commonwealth stadium in Manchester for the world athletics championships.

Richard Caborn: There are no plans to use the city of Manchester stadium for the world athletics championships. Compensation to Manchester city football club, were the stadium to have been used for the 2005 world athletics championships, would have been a matter for commercial discussion between Manchester city council and the club.

BBC Knowledge

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will introduce legislative proposals to apply the provisions of section 186 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 to BBC Knowledge.

Kim Howells: holding answer 5 November 2001
	BBC Knowledge will move to the BBC's own multiplex on 8 November 2001, when it will automatically come under the provisions of section 186.

Treasure Act

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will announce the outcome of the review of the Treasure Act 1996.

Kim Howells: The report on the Operation of the Treasure Act 1996: Review and Recommendations is being published today and I am arranging for copies to be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Security Situation

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: This year has seen, among others, the murders of Ciaran Cummings, the schoolboy Gavin Brett, the journalist Martin O'Hagan and 19-year-old Peter McNally. Up to 28 October, there have been 291 shooting incidents and 298 bombing incidents relating to the security situation.
	Following advice from the Chief Constable about the involvement of the UDA, UFF and LVF, the Secretary of State specified these organisations on 12 October. The ceasefires of the other paramilitary groups are believed to be holding, although there is still a very real threat from dissident groups who want to destroy the peace process.

Security Situation

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress the Government have made towards normalising the security environment in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: Along with other measures, the Government have closed, vacated or demolished 43 Army installations since the ceasefires. On the basis of the Chief Constable's judgment that the IRA's decision to put a quantity of its arms completely beyond use represented a real improvement in the security situation, the Secretary of State announced that the following installations would also be demolished:
	the observation tower on Sturgan mountain and one of the observation towers on Camlough mountain in South Armagh;
	the supersangar adjacent to the helicopter landing site at Newtownhamilton Police Station; and
	the Magherafelt Army base.
	Work to demolish all four installations has already commenced.

Decommissioning

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the impact of General de Chastelain's recent report on decommissioning on the implementation of the Good Friday agreement.

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of General de Chastelain's recent report on decommissioning on the stability of democratic institutions in Northern Ireland.

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the impact of decommissioning on the permanence of devolved institutions in Northern Ireland.

John Reid: The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning's confirmation of the IRA's unprecedented act of decommissioning has facilitated the return of the UUP Ministers to the Northern Ireland Executive Committee and the re-election of the right hon. Member for Upper Bann (Mr. Trimble) as First Minister. As a result of these very positive developments, all of the political institutions should now be allowed to operate without impediment. The Government will in turn move ahead to implement the Weston Park package of proposals and its remaining commitments under the Belfast agreement.

Decommissioning

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements he will put in place to deal with decommissioning of illegally held arms after the expiry of the de Chastelain Commission.

John Reid: Only the period during which an amnesty may be provided expires in February next year, not the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
	The political mandate for the IICD is in the Good Friday agreement—the total decommissioning of all paramilitary arms. We shall obviously consider the commission's statutory remit in the light of that and its advice on how best to achieve that key objective.

Decommissioning

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards decommissioning.

John Reid: I welcome the recent report from the IICD verifying that the IRA has put a quantity of weaponry, including arms, ammunition and explosives completely beyond use. This is a significant development not only in terms of moving forward the decommissioning process but also in the context of the Good Friday agreement.
	The commission also stated it would continue contact with the IRA representative in the pursuit of its mandate, the total decommissioning of arms.
	All paramilitary groups should now build upon the progress that has been made on decommissioning and all should begin decommissioning too.

Decommissioning

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent measures have been taken to encourage paramilitary decommissioning in Northern Ireland.

John Reid: Following the recent discussion at Weston Park, the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach presented to all the constitutional parties a comprehensive package of measures, which they considered fair and balanced, and invited all parties to accept that as a way of moving the process forward. Decommissioning was one part of that package.
	Since then, the Prime Minister and I have been working with all the parties to bring about the right climate for change.

Decommissioning

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prospects for further decommissioning of illegally held weapons.

John Reid: The total decommissioning of paramilitary arms is the remit of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
	The Government and all of the pro-agreement parties have said throughout the process that the details of the actual process should be left to the decommissioning commission.
	In its recent report, the commission stated it would continue contact with the IRA in pursuit of that mandate.
	It is hoped that further decommissioning events will take place in the future from both the IRA and also loyalist paramilitary groups.

Decommissioning

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the impact of de Chastelain's recent report on decommissioning has been on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

Jane Kennedy: I refer my hon Friend to the statement I made to the House on Wednesday 24 October in which I stated my belief that following the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning's confirmation of the IRA's unprecedented act of decommissioning, the Belfast agreement should now be implemented in its entirety and all the political institutions allowed to operate without impediment.

Decommissioning

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the remit of the decommissioning body.

Jane Kennedy: The remit of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning remains as set out in the international agreement between this Government and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, dated 26 August 1997; and there are no plans to extend it.
	The period during which an amnesty may be provided expires in February next year. However, the political mandate for the IICD as set out in the Good Friday agreement—the total decommissioning of all paramilitary arms—remains. We shall obviously consider the statutory position in light of that and the Commission's own advice on how best to fulfil that mandate.

Decommissioning

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what specific reduced security measures have been enacted in Northern Ireland in response to the IRA's decision on 23 October to decommission.

Jane Kennedy: On the basis of the Chief Constable's judgment that the IRA's decision to put a quantity of its arms completely beyond use represented a real improvement in the security situation, the Secretary of State announced that the following installations would be demolished:
	the observation tower on Sturgan mountain and one of the observation towers on Camlough mountain in South Armagh;
	the supersangar adjacent to the helicopter landing site at Newtownhamilton RUC Station; and
	the Magherafelt Army base.
	Work to demolish all four installations has already commenced and significant progress has been made.

RUC Reserve

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Constable about the future of the full-time RUC Reserve.

Jane Kennedy: The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with the Chief Constable on all manner of policing and security-related matters.

Peace Process

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for moving the peace process forward; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process.

John Reid: In the light of the considerable progress that has been made in recent weeks on decommissioning and in the operation of the devolved institutions, the Government will now work with the parties and with the Irish Government to move quickly ahead with the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement and also to pursue the measures set out in the Weston Park package of proposals.

Peace Process

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next expects to meet representatives of republican groups to discuss the peace process.

John Reid: I talk to and meet with representatives of all the democratically elected parties in Northern Ireland on a regular basis to discuss and make progress on the peace process.

Policing

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the policing of groups and individuals who are not part of a ceasefire.

Jane Kennedy: The police continue to monitor the activities of such groups and individuals and, where warranted, make them amenable to the law.

Violent Crime

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of violent crime in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The term "violent crime" covers offences against the person, sexual offences and robbery. During the year 2000–01 a total of 24,323 violent crimes were recorded in Northern Ireland, an increase of 0.7 per cent. on 1999–2000. Overall, violent crime accounted for 20.3 per cent. of all recorded offences during 2000–01, an increase of 7.9 per cent. on the previous year. A rise in the number of robberies was the main reason for this increase, although on a positive front, there was an 11.8 per cent. decrease in recorded sexual offences. Actual figures for the current year are not yet available.
	The Northern Ireland policing plan 2001–02 contains nine objectives for policing. In particular, the specific target relating to the detection rate for violent crime has been increased to 65 per cent. from the 50 per cent. target set for 2000–01. The Government are confident that the Chief Constable is doing everything possible within the resources available to him to reduce and deal with incidents of violent crime in Northern Ireland.

Parades Commission

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress with the review of the Parades Commission.

Jane Kennedy: As part of the package following the Weston Park talks and the IRA's recent decommissioning of weapons, the Government have confirmed the time is right to proceed with a review of the way in which the Parades Commission operates. We plan to announce the details shortly.

Terrorist and Criminal Violence

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the level of terrorist and criminal violence in Northern Ireland over the last three months.

Jane Kennedy: Terrorist violence over the last three months has remained at a significant level. The table gives a breakdown of that violence from 1 July 2001 to 26 October 2001. Statistics for criminal violence over the last three months are not readily available.
	
		
			   2001  
			  July August September October(4) Total 
		
		
			 Number of deaths 2 0 1 0 3 
			 Number of shooting incidents 39 24 42 21 126 
			 Number of bombing incidents 56 40 54 29 179 
			 Paramilitary style attacks  
			 Casualties as a result of shootings 13 21 19 9 62 
			 Casualties as a result of assaults 14 4 8 7 33 
		
	
	(4) To 26 October
	Note:
	Statistics relating to 2001–02 financial year are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.

Paramilitaries

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made on the disarming of paramilitaries.

Jane Kennedy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland gave the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner), at column 273W.

Paramilitaries

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of violence attributed to (a) republican paramilitaries and (b) loyalist paramilitaries there have been since 1 January.

Jane Kennedy: The following table provides a breakdown of security situation statistics from 1 January 2001 to 26 October 2001.
	
		
			   Attribution  
			  Loyalist Republican N/K Total 
		
		
			 Number of deaths 10 1 0 — 
			 Number of shooting incidents 190 82 18 290 
			 Number of bombing incidents 246 34 15 195 
			  Paramilitary style attacks: 
			 Casualties as a result of shootings 99 60 0 159 
			 Casualties as a result of assaults 75 46 0 121 
		
	
	Note:
	Statistics relating to the 2001–02 financial year are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.

Paramilitaries

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the position of paramilitary organisations who are not committed to a ceasefire.

John Reid: The initial list of specified organisations was made on 30 July 1998. The current list comprises of the Real IRA, the Continuity IRA, the Red Hand Defenders and the Orange Volunteers. On 12 October, it was also necessary for the Secretary of State to add the UDA, UFF and the LVF.
	This means that, among other restrictions, early released prisoners associated with those organisations can have their licences suspended and be returned to jail if they continue to engage in paramilitary activity in support of their organisations. Also, under the Terrorism Act 2000, provision relating to charges of membership will also apply.

Electoral Fraud

Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he anticipates the new measures to combat electoral fraud will come into force.

Des Browne: It is our intention that all the measures proposed by the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Bill, which will provide the chief electoral officer for Northern Ireland with additional functions to address the problem of electoral fraud there, will be in force by May 2003.

Northern Ireland Executive

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer with regard to the funding of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Jane Kennedy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has had no recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on overall funding for the Northern Ireland Executive. He is, however, in regular contact with Treasury and Executive Ministers on a range of financial issues relating to Northern Ireland.

IRA Weapons

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the number of weapons remaining in the hands of the IRA.

Jane Kennedy: For obvious reasons, it is not our practice to disclose such intelligence matters. I can, however, say that substantial amounts of illegal firearms, munitions and explosives are held by various paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. That is why we continue to press all groups to decommission their arms.

Organised Crime Taskforce

Khalid Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the organised crime taskforce in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The Government remain committed to tackling the organised crime problem in Northern Ireland. The organised crime taskforce and the agencies in Nl are achieving good results.
	This week has seen a number of successes against the organised crime gangs who operate in Northern Ireland. In the past two weeks, in two separate raids, £700,00 of drugs were seized and £80,000 of counterfeit goods were confiscated. Last week, a Customs and police operation seized 600,000 duty-free cigarettes, 150 kilos of tobacco, 6,000 litres of alcohol and a huge quantity of illegal fireworks, CDs, videos and counterfeit clothing.

International Terrorism

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much he forecasts will be spent in the current financial year by his Department as a direct result of measures associated with action against international terrorism after 11 September.

Jane Kennedy: At this point in time the Northern Ireland Office has had no notable expenditure in relation to international terrorism as a direct result of 11 September, and there is no planned expenditure for the remainder of this financial year.

Remembrance Day

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Chief Constable of the RUC issued a directive to his officers with regard to the wearing of poppies during the annual period of remembrance centred on 11 November; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Chief Constable has not issued specific instructions in relation to the coming period of remembrance. Current instructions whereby officers may, on a voluntary basis, wear poppies on their uniform caps, still apply.

Departmental Buildings

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the total running costs for buildings used, owned or rented by his Department for each nation and region of the UK, and estimate the average cost per square metre for properties used by his Department as a whole, and by region and nation of the UK.

John Reid: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Total running costs 2,300,000 
			 Northern Ireland 1,430,000 
			 London 870,000 
			 Total running costs per m(6) 110 
			 Northern Ireland costs per m(6) 82 
			 London costs per m(6) 235

HEALTH

Departmental Properties

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years by his Department, broken down by leases by the Department itself, its next step, agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between purchases made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those purchases made by established bodies.

Hazel Blears: The table lists the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years (1996–97 through to 2000–01) by the Department. They include and distinguish between the Department, its next step agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between acquisitions made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those acquisitions made by established bodies.
	
		Department of Health
		
			  Acquired by  Year  Number Value (£ million)  Location 
		
		
			 New bodies 1998–99 1 0.328 Bristol 
			 Established bodies 1998–99 1 0.492 Cambridge 
			  2000–01 1 0.092 Manchester 
			  
			 Agencies 
			 Established bodies 1996–97 1 0.086 Reading 
			  1998–99 1 2.277 Reading 
			  1999–2000 2 0.009 Kingswinford, Cambridge 
			  2000–01 1 0.039 Harrogate 
			  
			  Non-departmental public bodies  
			 New bodies 1999–2000 1 0.029 London 
			  2000–01 12 1.785 London, Bristol Aylesbury, Shrewsbury, Bedford, Gloucester, Ashford, Northampton, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Easing, Welwyn Garden City 
			  
			 Established bodies 1996–97 2 0.035 Nottingham, Redhill 
			  1997–98 2 0.029 Bristol, Wigan 
			  1998–99 2 0.999 Bristol, London 
			  1999–2000 4 0.035 Newcastle, Bristol, Harrogate, Plymouth 
			  2000–01 8 2.669 London (3), Newcastle, Bristol, Chester, Birmingham, Jesmond 
		
	
	Note:
	Value for leased accommodation is taken as the annual rent and service charge (based on the current annual cost) and for private finance initiative/public private partnership arrangements as the annual unitary charge (based on the current annual cost) and includes the cost of the provision of facilities management services.

Dental Treatment (Asylum Seekers)

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent guidance has been issued to regional and local health authorities and trusts regarding dental treatment for asylum seekers;
	(2)  what recent guidance has been given to (a) regional dental boards and (b) dentists regarding dental treatment for asylum seekers.

Hazel Blears: The Department issued letters, in February 2000, to all local authorities and health authorities detailing the current position on prescription charges and national health service dental treatment for asylum seekers in February 2000. This explained that any asylum seeker who did not fall into one of the groups entitled to free dental treatment, for example those who are pregnant or aged under 18 (under 19 years if in full time education) would need to complete an HC1 claim form in order to receive a NHS charges certificate (HC2), but that arrangements were under review. From 1 April 2001 the national asylum support service would issue HC2 certificates on behalf of the Department to all the asylum seekers it supports. These arrangements are now in place, and HC2 certificates are issued where appropriate, along with the first support voucher. This has removed the need for separate HC1 claims.
	Under current arrangements, health authorities are responsible for the dissemination of this information to dental practitioners.
	Essentially, dentists can treat asylum seekers in exactly the same way as all other patients, judging their need to pay charges using the usual criteria.

Norwich Union

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts have contracts with Norwich Union to provide healthcare premises; and what advice his Department has given to trusts on the marketing of private healthcare and health insurance products within such premises.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 29 October 2001
	The Department does not hold information on the number of national health service trusts with contracts with Norwich Union to provide healthcare premises.
	The overwhelming majority of elective operations carried out in NHS trusts are performed on NHS patients. Although NHS trusts are permitted to generate income from providing facilities and staff to operate on private health policy-holders and self-pay patients, trusts must ensure that this private activity is not at the expense of their NHS work.

World Health Organisation Targets

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government are committed to achieving the targets set out in the World Health Organisation Charter on Transport, Environment and Health.

Jacqui Smith: Yes. In adopting in 1999 the World Health Organisation charter on transport, environment and health the Government confirmed their commitment to making transport sustainable to health and the environment, and to striving to implement the measures in the charter's plan of action, especially those aimed at attaining its health targets.
	Our White Paper on transport defined the national framework for creating a better, more integrated transport system and tackling the problems of pollution and congestion. The subsequent 10-year plan set out the long- term spending plans for delivering the policies described there.
	The United Kingdom is an active participant in the steering group set up to push forward implementation of the WHO transport charter, and is the lead actor for the charter's action point on public participation, public awareness and information.

Brain Injury

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent guidance he has issued in relation to (a) the recognition of acquired brain injury and (b) the planning of rehabilitation services for those with acquired brain injury;
	(2)  what plans he has to implement a national education and training programme for NHS staff on the rehabilitation and treatment of individuals with acquired brain injury;
	(3)  what plans he has to undertake a review of the provision of brain injury rehabilitation services within the United Kingdom.

Jacqui Smith: We have issued no recent guidance on either the recognition of acquired brain injury or the planning of rehabilitation services for those with acquired brain injury.
	However, the national service framework (NSF) for long term conditions was announced in February 2001 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and will have a particular focus on the needs of people with neurological disease and brain and spinal injury. In addition, it is also likely to set general standards of care for people with other long-term conditions or chronic illness that are not already covered by other NSFs. The Health Committee report on head injury rehabilitation will be brought to the attention of the group developing the NSF.
	We have also asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce a clinical guideline for the initial assessment, management and first referral of patients with head injury. NICE will start work on the guidelines in November 2001.
	Provision of brain injury services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for the devolved Assemblies.

Brain Injury

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a national funding mechanism for the provision of brain injury vocational rehabilitation services.

Jacqui Smith: We allocate funding to health authorities on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine each health authority's fair share target of available resources, to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need. There are no plans to change this system.
	It is for health authorities, in partnership with primary care groups/trusts and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
	Getting people back to functional independence following illness or injury is a high priority for the national health service. This year, with the Department for Work and Pensions, we are planning job retention and rehabilitation pilots to test the best ways of helping people with prolonged illness or disability to remain in their jobs. £12 million has been allocated to fund the pilots.

Mental Health Services

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what alternatives are being considered to HSG(94)27 for providing auspices for inquiries into deaths in the mental health services; and when they will be introduced;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the adequacy of HSG(94)27 in providing the auspices for inquiries into deaths in the mental health services.

Jacqui Smith: Circular health service guidance (94)27 has been an effective mechanism since 1994 for ensuring that thorough investigations are conducted into serious adverse incidents occurring in specialist mental health services. However, in the light of the Chief Medical Officer's report 'An Organisation with a Memory' and the implementation document 'Building a Safer NHS for Patients' published in April 2001, we are establishing a system for reporting, analysing and learning lessons from adverse incidents throughout the national health service. It is important that mental health services should be included in these arrangements.
	The new system is currently being piloted and will be rolled out across the NHS from January 2002.
	Guidance on the introduction of new arrangements will be issued early next year. In future, all serious service failures or dysfunction will be subject to a full local review to establish what went wrong, to learn lessons and to take appropriate action. In addition, the Department's investigations and inquiries unit will be informed and, in conjunction with the Commission for Health Improvement, will decide whether any further investigation is warranted.

Bed Blocking

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used in determining which local authorities would receive additional social services funding to tackle the problem of bed blocking; and how the criteria differ between the councils targeted for extra help and the others.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 2 November 2001
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 30 October 2001, Official Report, columns 654–56W.

Overseas Treatment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he has put in place to ensure adequate after care for patients treated abroad; and what measures will be taken to ensure that a patient's GP can discuss a patient's case with a foreign hospital team where there is a language barrier.

John Hutton: holding answer 6 November 2001
	Local commissioners will need to ensure that any contracts with foreign providers clearly specify the roles and responsibilities of each party, including pre-operative and post-operative care. It will be essential that there are clear and agreed protocols for transferring information between clinicians abroad and the United Kingdom, including general practitioners, and opportunities for UK clinicians to raise any concerns. All relevant medical records will need to be translated into English.
	These and other points will be covered in guidance for the national health service on purchasing treatment for NHS patients overseas, which the Department will publish by the end of the year.

Overseas Treatment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis were (a) Portsmouth, (b) East Kent and (c) West Kent and East Surrey Health Authorities selected to test the treatment of NHS patients overseas.

John Hutton: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The three test-bed sites were selected on the basis that all three have significant waiting time problems and are also located close to airports, ferry ports and train stations with connections to the continent.

Logos

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of creating the new logo for the (a) Social Care Institute for Excellence, (b) General Social Care Council and (c) National Care Standards Commission.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The cost of creating the logo for the General Social Care Council was £16,000 and for the National Care Standards Commission £12,290. Both bodies followed procurement rules and tendered for the work. The Social Care Institute for Excellence is currently using an interim design produced in-house at a cost of £376.

Overseas Doctors

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training overseas doctor applicants to the NHS will undergo before working on the wards.

John Hutton: holding answer 6 November 2001
	Overseas doctors will be registered to practise medicine in the United Kingdom only if they have satisfied the General Medical Council that their language and clinical skills are of a sufficiently high standard to deal with patients safely.
	All doctors have to compete for national health service posts at a level appropriate to their qualifications. There is an obligation for NHS employers to ensure that each doctor they take on (whether from Europe or from overseas) has the professional and communication skills necessary to carry out the duties of their specific post.
	All non-UK doctors newly recruited to the NHS are entitled to attend an overseas doctors' induction course either before or shortly after starting in post. Courses are run by postgraduate deaneries at a variety of locations and are available throughout the year. During the course, doctors are familiarised with UK and NHS cultural and ethical issues, and taken through some of the more common NHS procedures. Individual trusts routinely run local induction courses covering issues specific to their area.

Germedic

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contact his Department has had with Germedic Gmbh.

John Hutton: holding answer 6 November 2001
	Officials met the chief executive of Germedic on 15 October and have spoken to him several times subsequently by telephone.

Care Homes

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) care homes and (b) care home places have been lost in each health authority in each financial year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The available information is in tables that have been placed in the Library. Table 1 shows year on year changes in the number of residential care homes and places in these homes, by local authority area. Table 2 shows year on year changes in the number of nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics and registered beds in these homes, by health authority area.

Allied Health Professions

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether uni-professionals curriculum development and course approval for regulation purposes for allied health professions will continue to involve the professional and regulatory bodies.

John Hutton: The Health Professions Council as the regulatory body for allied health professions has responsibility to set standards for education and training and to approve courses in accordance with those standards. In doing so it will be expected to work with professional bodies who provide the registrant members of the council. It will also be expected to safeguard essential uni-professional curriculum requirements but also to enhance professional training by exploiting the benefits of multi professional and shared learning where the subject matter is common across professions.

Chiropodists

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to enable the NHS to utilise the services of non-state registered chiropodists.

John Hutton: Non-state registered chiropodists, also known as unregulated practitioners, are not allowed to practise in the national health service. However, we recognise that non-state registered chiropodists do have important skills to offer.
	This is one of the reasons we are proposing to modernise the regulation of professional healthcare staff. From April 2002 a new Health Professions Council will be established and all those wishing to be able to practise in the NHS will be able to seek registration. The Council will require all practitioners to meet accepted standards of safe practice, and apply consistent, fair and appropriate measures to deal with practitioners whose practice falls short of those standards.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

House of Lords

Jacqui Lait: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has for MSPs to sit in a reformed House of Lords; and when he expects to announce them.

Robin Cook: The Government are today publishing a White Paper expressing their views on the composition of a reformed House of Lords and are seeking comments on these proposals.

PRIME MINISTER

Tuition Fees

Eric Illsley: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future of tuition fees.

Tony Blair: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has announced a review of student finance, which will cover higher education tuition fees.

Energy Efficiency Week

John Barrett: To ask the Prime Minister what action his Department took in recognition of Energy Efficiency Week.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 6 November 2000, Official Report, column 203W.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Prime Minister what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by his office; if he will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans he has to sell further such assets over the period of the current Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 204W.

European Delegations

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the composition of the United Kingdom Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union.

Tony Blair: The United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Western European Union is as follows:
	Terry Davis Esq. MP (Leader)
	Full Representatives
	David Atkinson Esq. MP
	Malcolm Bruce Esq. MP
	Sir Sydney Chapman MP
	Tom Cox Esq. MP
	James Cran Esq. MP
	Bill Etherington Esq. MP
	Paul Flynn Esq. MP
	Lord Judd
	Baroness Knight of Collingtree DBE
	Tony Lloyd Esq. MP
	Jim Marshall Esq. MP
	Chris McCafferty MP
	Kevin McNamara Esq. MP
	Eddie O'Hara Esq. MP
	Lord Russell-Johnston
	John Wilkinson Esq. MP
	Jimmy Wray Esq. MP
	Substitute Members
	Janet Anderson MP
	Tony Banks Esq. MP
	Baroness Billingham
	Lord Burlison
	Ann Cryer MP
	Michael Hancock Esq. CBE MP
	Baroness Hooper
	Rt. Hon. Lord Kilclooney
	Khalid Mahmood Esq. MP
	David Marshall Esq. MP
	Alan Meale Esq. MP
	Gordon Prentice Esq. MP
	Geraldine Smith MP
	Lord Tomlinson
	Dr. Rudi Vis MP
	Robert Walter Esq. MP.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Working Time Directive (Road Transport Sector)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the impact of the working time directive proposals on the pay levels of haulage workers.

David Jamieson: The draft directive for mobile workers in the road transport sector is still subject to negotiation, so it would be very difficult to assess the likely impact of these proposals on levels of pay until the directive has been agreed. In any event, levels of pay for haulage drivers will remain a matter for negotiation between the employer and the employee.

Working Time Directive (Road Transport Sector)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment has been made of the impact of the Working Time Directive on the haulage industry; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: In March 1998, the Department of Trade and Industry published a regulatory assessment covering the costs and benefits of working time legislation. The assessment covered all sectors of employment in the UK, including excluded sectors such as the road haulage industry. A copy of the assessment was deposited in the Libraries of the House.
	Since then, the Government have held regular meetings with both sides of industry to discuss the impact of the latest proposals on the haulage industry.

Working Time Directive (Road Transport Sector)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect of the working time directive proposals to increase night-time working restrictions on day time traffic congestion.

David Jamieson: From our regular meetings with industry, we are fully aware of the problem that an eight-hour limit for night workers is likely to have on daytime congestion. That is one of the reasons why the Government support the 10-hour figure included in the council's common position.

Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion (Stingray System)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the Stingray system for combating vehicle excise duty evasion will be introduced in Scotland.

David Jamieson: The mobile number plate reader camera system was launched in Scotland on 23 October. I wrote to Scottish MPs, MEPs and MSPs on 18 October, to inform them about this.

Air Traffic Control Centre, Prestwick

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what changes have been made to the proposed plans for the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick, following the delay in construction;
	(2)  when the building of the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick will recommence.

David Jamieson: National Air Traffic Services (NATS) remains committed to investing in the New Scottish Centre (NSC) at Prestwick as part of its two-centre strategy. Following the downturn in demand for air travel arising from the events of 11 September, the Government have agreed to a proposal to delay construction of the NSC, though preparatory work on the building and system design will continue. It is not possible to be precise about the revised timing.

London Underground

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library the terms of reference for evaluation of the PPP bids for the London Underground.

David Jamieson: London Transport is carrying out a thorough evaluation of the value for money of the bids for the London Underground PPPs, in line with the relevant guidance produced by HM Treasury and Treasury Taskforce, copies of which are already in the House Library. London Transport is also working to ensure that when it evaluates final PPP bids it addresses the issues raised by the National Audit Office in its report "The financial analysis for the London Underground Public Private Partnerships".

London Underground

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has asked external (a) consultants and (b) organisations to evaluate the PPP bids for the London Underground once the final bids have been prepared; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Government's plans for a publicly run, privately built tube will deliver around £13 billion of investment to improve the underground's infrastructure over the next 15 years. The Secretary of State has made it clear that he will only be prepared for these plans to go ahead if he is content that they represent value for money.
	London Underground is carrying out a thorough evaluation of all bids, assisted by its financial advisers PricewaterhouseCoopers and its engineering advisers Ove Arup. I understand that London Underground is also asking KPMG, its external auditor, to review the public sector comparators that London Underground has developed to guide its value for money evaluation.
	In addition, Ernst & Young will be providing the Secretary of State with an independent opinion on London Underground's evaluation of the final PPP bids, focusing on the overall robustness of the value for money conclusions reached by London Underground and its advisers.

London Underground

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place copies of the letters of comfort issued in relation to (a) Railtrack and (b) the London Underground PPP in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: No such letters have been issued.

London Underground

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what analyses of the impact of the discount rate on the value for money calculations on the London Underground PPP have been undertaken; and if he will place summaries in the Library.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 5 November 2001, Official Report, column 9W. The value for money evaluation of the London Underground PPPs will be placed in the House Library, but not until London Transport has concluded its negotiations with bidders. To publish the value for money evaluation any earlier would reveal London Transport's negotiating position and so undermine its ability to achieve best value.

London Underground

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on London Underground fares of financing the tube improvements planned for the next 15 years by (a) PPP and (b) direct Government borrowing.

David Jamieson: Fares for the London Underground are a matter for the Mayor. The value for money evaluation that London Underground is carrying out on PPP bids assumes that fares will do no more than keep pace with inflation whether tube improvements are financed under the PPPs or by direct Government borrowing.

Fire Deaths (Cigarettes)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people died in the United Kingdom in 2000 in fires caused by cigarettes.

Alan Whitehead: The total number of people estimated to have died in fires caused by smokers' materials (ie cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco etc.) in the United Kingdom in 2000 was 140. Of these, 135 occurred in accidental fires in dwellings.
	It is not possible separately to identify those fires that were caused by cigarettes.

Flood Defences (Yorkshire)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will increase the provision for flood defences in future SSA calculations for the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Alan Whitehead: The Government will increase SSA provision for authorities collectively up to the aggregate 4.2 per cent. increase for 2002–03 provided for in spending review 2000. To do more would mean unfairly limiting the increase in other parts of the environment, cultural and protective services SSA block. Of course, a local authority is able to increase spending on flood defence by more than this if it judges flood defence a high priority within its budget.
	The Government are just completing a review of the funding arrangements for flood and coastal defence and a report will be published later this year.

Railway Assets

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made in compiling a register of the assets of the railway system infrastructure.

David Jamieson: The compilation of a robust asset register is a complicated task and Railtrack has agreed a two-year rolling plan with the rail regulator for the continued development of asset management and decision support systems. The new licence condition requiring Railtrack to establish and maintain a register of the condition, capacity and capability of its assets came into force on 18 April, and the first two reporting dates have been met:
	On 10 June Railtrack produced its initial guidelines to the asset register, to document the current state of asset data held and used, and identify gaps in service-critical data with plans to remedy these; and its committed development plans (eg the roll-out of its computerised maintenance information management system database).
	On 1 October Railtrack produced the first two-year rolling plan for further development of the asset register up to April 2004.
	Railtrack will continue to produce six-monthly progress reports, which will be used to monitor and review implementation of the asset register.

Railway Safety

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many instances there have been of trains falling between rails that have spread apart in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001.

David Jamieson: Figures provided by the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate show that during the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 there were 29 derailments due to gauge spread. Figures for this type of incident were not collected prior to 1 April 2000. Figures for the current financial year, from 1 April 2001, will not be collated until next year.

Private Leisure Craft (Accidents)

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many accidents involving private leisure craft were caused by the consumption of alcohol in the last five years.

John Spellar: No specific records are currently kept of accidents involving private leisure craft caused by the consumption of alcohol, but it is estimated that some 47 such incidents occurred in the last five years.

Council Houses

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council houses for rent were held on 21 April 1991 in (a) Cannock Chase, (b) East Staffordshire, (c) Lichfield, (d) Newcastle Under Lyme, (e) South Staffordshire, (f) Stafford, (g) Staffordshire Moorlands, (h) Stoke on Trent and (i) Tamworth; and what the current equivalent figures are.

Sally Keeble: Council houses for rent held on 21 April 1991 and the current equivalent figures.
	
		
			   Council houses for rent  
			  1 April 1991 1 April 2001 
		
		
			 (a) Cannock Chase 7,743 6,675 
			 (b) East Staffordshire 6,226 0 
			 (c) Lichfield 5,686 0 
			 (d) Newcastle under Lyme 10,621 0 
			 (e) South Staffordshire 5,732 0 
			 (f) Stafford 7,441 6,361 
			 (g) Staffordshire Moorlands 3,674 0 
			 (h) Stoke on Trent 25,412 22,329 
			 (i) Tamworth 6,399 5,522

Council Houses

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council houses for rent for each of (a) Cannock Chase, (b) East Staffordshire, (c) Lichfield, (d) Newcastle under Lyme, (e) South Staffordshire, (f) Stafford, (g) Staffordshire Moorlands, (h) Stoke on Trent and (i) Tamworth local authorities were transferred by a large scale voluntary transfer in each authority between 1 May 1997 and 31 August 2001.

Sally Keeble: Council houses for rent transferred by a large scale voluntary transfer in each of the following authorities between 1 May 1997 and 31 August 2001:
	
		
			  Transferred 
		
		
			 (a) Cannock Chase 0 
			 (b) East Staffordshire 5.637 
			 (c) Lichfield 0 
			 (d) Newcastle under Lyme 9,887 
			 (e) South Staffordshire 0 
			 (f) Stafford 0 
			 (g) Staffordshire Moorlands 3,132 
			 (h) Stoke on Trent (5)917 
		
	
	(5) Partial transfer only

Building Inspectors

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many recent complaints he has received about the work of approved building inspectors.

Alan Whitehead: I receive a small number of complaints about the work of approved inspectors. If my hon. Friend has concerns about any particular aspects of their work, I hope he will write to me.

Building Inspectors

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the quality of work carried out by the National House Building Council as approved building inspectors.

Alan Whitehead: NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. carries out building control on about half the new homes built for sale in England and Wales and on a substantial number of new homes built by registered social landlords. Local authorities carry out building control on the other new homes. I have no evidence that the quality of building control service provided by NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. is in general different from that provided in the new homes sector by local authorities.

Building Act

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to bring into force section 38 of the Building Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: I have no immediate plans to bring into force section 38 of the Building Act 1984. I keep all parts of the Building Act 1984 under review, and should a clear need to implement this section arise, I will do so.

Rail Services (London—North Kent)

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on how capacity on rail services between London and north Kent can be increased; how the electricity supply for rail lines between London and north Kent can be improved; and how the length of trains can be increased to 12 carriages on rail services between London and north Kent.

David Jamieson: Twelve car operation from London to Dartford possibly through to Gillingham could be achieved by a combination of the implementation of Thameslink 2000, and as part of possible negotiations to extend the current Connex South Eastern franchise. This would increase capacity between London and north Kent. The parties concerned are aware of the need to improve the electricity supply on these rail lines and will work together in devising a suitable solution.

Private Rail Tracks

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to ensure that private rail tracks are marked by signs placed at the border between the public rail network and private lines.

David Jamieson: I understand from Railtrack that the public rail network is separated from private lines by fencing and barrier systems as appropriate. Where private lines cross over the public network, notification is provided of the type of barrier and signal process in place.

Local Government (Minority Party Representation)

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he gives to local authorities on the proportionality of minority party representation on committees; and what information he collates on the action taken by local authorities to observe his guidance.

Alan Whitehead: Section 21(11) of the Local Government Act 2000 requires that where party groups have been declared, overview and scrutiny committees, and their sub-committees, must reflect the political balance of the local authority. My Department has issued local authorities with guidance on these requirements.
	The only exception to this is where the local authority approves a different arrangement for the allocation of committee seats without any member present voting against, under section 17(1)(B) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
	All local authorities have been required to submit their constitutional proposals, including the rules for membership of overview and scrutiny committees, to the Secretary of State for consideration.

Planning Permission

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to introduce a third party right of appeal against the granting of planning permission.

Sally Keeble: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) on 24 October 2001, Official Report, column 222W.

Rail Rolling Stock

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the availability of new rail rolling stock; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Ministers receive monthly progress reports from the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the delivery of the new rolling stock currently on order.

European Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 682W, on European railways, which TSIs are now being drafted; what work his Department has done to contribute to the scoping of the TSI drafting; if the directive will require the upgrading of main line routes in the UK to meet continental gauges; and what representations his Department has received from the rail industry about this directive.

David Jamieson: Preparatory work has started on the first priority group of TSIs specified in article 23(1)(a) of the directive. This work is being led by the AEIF (the European Association for Railway Interoperability), which comprises representatives from the railway operating and manufacturing industries. The UK railway industry is well represented at all levels within AEIF. Member states' involvement in the TSIs at government level is through participation in the "Article 21 Committee" set up under the directive. This committee is responsible for approving the TSIs before they are adopted and can influence the contents of the TSIs throughout the drafting process.
	We do not expect the TSIs to require the upgrading of UK main line routes to continental gauges. The directive provides for "specific cases" to be included in the TSIs to allow some existing national parameters, such as the loading gauge, to be retained in certain circumstances. We expect to seek appropriate specific cases in these respects. More generally, the directive provides for derogations from application of the TSIs in certain circumstances, including where their application would compromise the economic viability of the project and/or its compatibility with the existing rail system.
	The rail industry has been consulted on the directive from its inception and has made wide-ranging representations on its scope and potential impact.

Jet-skis

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to bring forward proposals to improve the safety of jet-skis in coastal waters.

David Jamieson: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Although Government policy is generally that recreation should be self-regulating, recreational sailing or motor boats are subject to the international regulations for the prevention of collisions (COLREGS). To comply with the COLREGS vessels must be navigated in a safe and responsible manner.
	In the UK, personal watercraft such as jet-skis are not covered by merchant shipping regulations because the UK's powers to make safety regulations apply to ships.
	However the Government intend to amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 when parliamentary time allows in order that specified legislation, such as the COLREGS, can be applied to jet-skis. Contravention of the COLREGS is a criminal offence.

Building (Flood Plains)

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many houses were built on flood plains in the last year; and what percentage this is of the total number of houses built.

Sally Keeble: The latest information on new house construction and its relationship to flood-risk areas was published in "Land use Change in England: No. 16", in July 2001. This showed that in 1998 about 135,000 new dwellings were constructed, of which about 14,500 (11 per cent. of the total) were within the indicative flood plain as shown on maps published by the Environment Agency in December 2000. Many of the new houses in flood-risk areas were constructed behind adequate flood defences. For example 37 per cent. of new houses in London were in flood-risk areas that are largely defended to a very high standard as a result of the Thames Barrier.
	For the 10 years from 1989–98, 9 per cent. of the land changing to residential use and 10 per cent. of the almost 1.4 million new dwellings built were within the indicative flood plains. This compares to the 12 per cent. of all land in England that is within the indicative flood plains.

Building (Flood Plains)

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of how many houses will be built on flood plains in the next (a) two, (b) five and (c) 10 years.

Sally Keeble: No such estimate can be made because of the wide range of factors affecting the future volume and location of house-building. However, we are continuing to monitor land-use change in relation to areas of flood-risk. Through the high-level targets published by the then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1999, we are also monitoring the responses of the Environment Agency to consultations on planning applications and whether decisions were in line with or contrary to their views. My Department is currently examining with the Environment Agency how the implementation and effectiveness of the flood-risk related policies in the new planning policy guidance note 25 issued in July 2001 on "Development and flood risk" can best be secured.

Railway Stations (Disabled Access)

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he is taking to ensure that adequate disabled access is being provided at railway stations in order to ensure compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 6 November 2001
	Access to railway stations for disabled people is covered by part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Since October 1999, service providers have been required to take reasonable steps to change practices, policies or procedures which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service. From 2004, service providers will have to take reasonable steps to remove, alter or provide reasonable means of avoiding physical features that make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service.
	My Department, with the Institution of Highways and Transportation and a number of other bodies, has commissioned guidance, which should be available early next year, on best practice in the design of public transport infrastructure and the pedestrian environment. This will help transport service providers to meet the duties imposed by the DDA.
	In addition, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), which took over responsibility for protecting the interests of disabled passengers from the rail regulator earlier this year, requires that all licensed train operating companies publish a disabled people's protection policy describing their facilities and policies for passengers with disabilities. These policies are subject to approval by the SRA and must take account of the SRA's code of practice, "Train and Station Services for Disabled Passengers", a revised version of which was recently circulated for consultation.

Port Policing

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has completed his review of the policing of ports; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Work on this review is continuing and I hope that it will be completed early in 2002.

Commercial Floor Space

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of UK commercial floor space is provided by buildings which are (a) larger than 1,000 square metres, (b) larger than 500 square metres and (c) larger than 100 square metres.

Sally Keeble: We do not currently have UK floorspace broken down as requested. In England and Wales in 2000, there were 1,340,780 commercial and industrial hereditaments with a total floorspace of 568,909 sq m. (A hereditament is a rateable unit of property and corresponds mainly to groups of buildings, individual buildings or parts of buildings.)
	More information is available in 'Floorspace and Rateable Value for Commercial and Industrial Properties 2000', a copy of which has been placed in the House Library. The data in the publication come from the administrative databases of the VOA.

Container Ports

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on demand for container port capacity in the United Kingdom.

David Jamieson: Our ports policy paper, "Modern Ports: A UK Policy", published last November, recognised a need to be better informed about developments in the UK port industry. The Department recently issued a discussion paper, "Recent developments and prospects at UK container ports", which notes that most industry forecasts point to an overall shortage of container movement capacity in the UK over the next 10 years. Market pressures are driving up the size and draught of container ships, which means that container facilities need to offer deep water with good tidal windows and ample manoeuvring room; there is only a limited number of sites capable of meeting these criteria. Market considerations, such as proximity to principal shipping lanes and markets, and other criteria such as transport access, including the availability of deep water concentrate demand in the south-east and east of England.
	As indicated in "Modern Ports", the Government believe there are important national economic benefits in meeting the growth in demand. We recognise that this would require significant container port capacity increases in the south-east and east of England over the next few years. There are relatively few specific sites where such capacity can realistically be provided which meet the criteria previously noted. At the same time, we are well aware that some expansion proposals may have significant local environmental impacts and that these represent a challenge to which those proposing port development need to rise. Planning decisions will have to take due account of these considerations.
	The discussion paper discusses recent trends and prospects for demand at container ports and how it might be met. Its purpose is not to discuss in detail all the issues which planning procedures have to address, but to promote a better understanding of the ports and shipping business, and of the demands which are now causing pressure on capacity. Copies of the paper are in the Library, and it is also available from my Department (EAMI Division, Zone 1/34, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SWIP 4DR) and on the Department's website. A further consultation paper is planned discussing project appraisal criteria to be applied to port developments.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Fly Tipping

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the level of fly tipping in the countryside; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The fly tipping forum, under the chairmanship of the Environment Agency, has commissioned research to assess the problem of fly tipping on farmland. However, the survey, which is an essential part of the project, was suspended on the outbreak of the foot and mouth epidemic. The project will be carried out as soon as practicable.
	The action being taken by the Government on fly tipping and other forms of unlawful waste disposal was set out most recently in the Government's response to the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee's report on the Environment Agency (Cm 4832—paragraphs 55–60).

Live Bovine (Ear Tag)

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evidence she has received of a slaughter team in Yorkshire cutting off the ear of a live bovine in order to get an ear tag.

Elliot Morley: I replied to the right hon. Member by letter on 6 August 2001 and placed a copy of my letter in the Library.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will use the veterinary laboratories at Stormont for foot and mouth blood testing as a supplement to Pirbright;
	(2)  what confidentiality or secrecy agreements temporary veterinary inspectors have to sign on joining her Department.

Elliot Morley: I replied to the right hon. Member by letter on 6 August 2001 and placed copies of my letters in the Library.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to assist small farms following the foot and mouth outbreak.

Elliot Morley: I replied to the right hon. Member by letter on 13 August 2001 and placed a copy of my letter in the Library.

Foot and Mouth

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her most recent assessment is of the impact of foot and mouth disease on the economy of rural Northumberland and its market towns.

Alun Michael: Foot and mouth disease restrictions have had a massive impact on rural economies. We have commissioned a study to help quantify the impact on a selection of areas typical of those affected, and Newcastle university is currently undertaking research specific to Northumberland.
	Twelve market towns in the north-east, including Berwick-on-Tweed and six others in Northumberland, have been selected for inclusion in the market towns regeneration programme announced in the rural White Paper. This will help counter the effects of foot and mouth by providing a boost to the economies and communities of the towns and their rural hinterlands.

Foot and Mouth

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations her Department has received in favour of treating the north of Northumberland as a foot and mouth disease free area; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 30 October 2001
	The Department has received a number of representations on this subject. When the autumn movements arrangements were announced, Ministers said that foot and mouth free status would normally be gained on a county or unitary authority basis. However, it was also made clear that we would consider splitting counties between different foot and mouth disease status if circumstances warranted this. So far, this has been done only in Powys and north Yorkshire, but we are keeping other candidates, including Northumberland, under constant review.

Foot and Mouth

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the cases of FMD in sheep in Wales were diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms alone; and how many were confirmed positive by laboratory tests.

Elliot Morley: Since the start of the foot and mouth disease outbreak, the number of infected premises in Wales which had sheep present totals 107. Of these 107 premises, 94 had laboratory tests conducted of with 54 returned positive results.
	Notes:
	1. The 107 premises noted above may have contained other animals as well as sheep.
	2. A negative lab result does not mean that infection was absent. Each case is confirmed on the basis of a clinical diagnosis of foot and mouth disease by the vet on the farm, supported by convincing clinical evidence.
	Source:
	DEFRA Disease Control System database as at 1 November 2001. The figures may be subject to revision as quality assurance of data is carried out.

Foot and Mouth

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Government have received about a public inquiry into the handling of the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many representations she has received in favour of a public inquiry into the foot and mouth crisis.

Elliot Morley: The Government have received a number of representations from a variety of sources on this subject. These have mainly been from parish, district and borough councils.

Foot and Mouth

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of recent research into the relationship between the number of animals slaughtered during the foot and mouth outbreak and the promptness of the implementation of a 24 hour slaughter policy.

Elliot Morley: The foot and mouth disease control policy is to slaughter all susceptible animals on infected premises within 24 hours of the infection being reported and, with allowance for limited local veterinary discretion, all susceptible livestock on contiguous premises within 48 hours.
	The Department's implementation of the policy is likely to be one of the issues that will be examined by Dr. Iain Anderson's lessons learned inquiry.

Foot and Mouth

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many individual payments have been made to farmers following foot and mouth disease of (a) £1,000,000 to £1,999,999, (b) £2,000,000 to £2,999,999, (c) £3,000,000 to £3,999,999 and (d) in excess of £4,000,000.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 1 November 2001
	The information on individual payments to farmers that you requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of payments 
		
		
			 £1,000,000 to £1,999,999 56 
			 £2,000,000 to £2,999,999 8 
			 £3,000,000 to £3,999,999 3 
			 In excess of £4,000,000 1

Foot and Mouth

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many infected premises were identified in Powys in the foot and mouth outbreak. [R]

Elliot Morley: The number of infected premises cases in Powys is available on the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk. The website is updated daily.
	As at 5 November 2001, there had been 69 infected premises in Powys.

Foot and Mouth

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contiguous culls were started more than 48 hours after samples had been collected from infected animals on the contiguous infected premise in Powys in the foot and mouth outbreak. [R]

Elliot Morley: The information requested is not available.

Foot and Mouth

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what powers the three inquiries into foot and mouth have to compel (a) Ministers and (b) officials to give evidence.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 6 November 2001
	Given their non-statutory nature, Ministers and officials may not be compelled by the two Government inquiries or the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food to give evidence. However, Ministers and officials are expected to co-operate fully with the two inquiries and the policy commission and compulsion is not an issue.

Light Lambs

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many lighter lambs the Government plan to buy in 2001.

Elliot Morley: Under the light lamb scheme introduced from September 2001, the Government are prepared to pay £10 for the buying up of light lambs for which there is currently no export market because of the foot and mouth export ban. This could cost up to £25 million in purchase costs but estimates of uptake are uncertain. The scheme will not operate in 2002 and we expect farmers to look into selling lambs into the food chain as their first priority.

Waste Disposal

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that incineration is only used to burn sorted, post-recycled waste and not mixed household waste; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 16 July 2001
	The Government have now set each local authority statutory targets for recycling and composting. In future, therefore, material burnt in municipal waste incinerator residues cannot be counted towards meeting the statutory recycling targets.

Sugar Beet Industry

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support is to be given by her Department to the sugar beet industry over the next five years.

Elliot Morley: Support for the sugar beet industry is governed by the European Union's common agricultural policy (CAP) regime for sugar. A new regime was agreed at the May Agriculture Council and runs for five years from 1 July 2001. This maintains support prices for sugar and sugar beet at previous levels, but ends support for the storage of sugar. The regime will be subject to review at the beginning of 2003 on the basis of a Commission report and any necessary proposals. The Government's view is that the EU support for sugar needs to be put on a more sustainable basis.

Carcase Burial Site, Petrockstowe

John Burnett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will state, in relation to the carcase burial site at Ash Moor, Petrockstowe, (a) what the level of the water table is below the surface of the land and (b) whether a microbiological study has been conducted into the use of the land for the burial of animal carcases; if she will publish the environmental impact and risk assessments for the site and list the recommendations they made; which legal requirements were complied with before construction of the site started; what has been (i) the cost of work to date and (ii) the continuing cost of upkeep; what additional cost will be incurred if the site is brought into use for the burial of animal carcases; and if she will make a statement. [R]

Elliot Morley: holding answer 29 October 2001
	In relation to the burial site at Ash Moor, Petrockstowe:
	(a) The level of the water table is 1.3, to 3.5 m below ground level.
	(b) No. A microbiological study is not necessary as the only vectors for micro-organisms to travel from burial into the environment are in the leachate or gas. The environmental assessment describes how these vectors will be controlled.
	The environmental statement will be published after local consultation. The document is currently in draft format and is being finalised prior to local consultation.
	Prior to construction an Environment Agency risk assessment (available from the Public register at Exminster House, Miller Way, Exminster, EX6 8AS) was completed on 11 April 2001. EA authorisation under regulation 18(3)(a) of the Groundwater Regulations 1998 was granted on 12 April 2001. (Construction at Ash Moor started on 20 April 2001).
	(i) £5.6 million is the cost of the work to date but this figure is subject to confirmation as negotiations are on-going with one of the contractors.
	(ii) £20,000 per week is the continuing cost of upkeep.
	If the site is brought into use for the burial of animal carcases the one off cost for one cell would be approximately £350,000. If three cells were used the cost rises to approximately £670,000 and if all cells were used the cost would be approximately £1,550,000. On top of this, there would be costs for odour controls, long-term maintenance and monitoring and testing. These are expected to be approximately £350,000-£400,000 per annum irrespective of the number of cells used. Such costs would fall after four or five years.

Compensation (Tuna Fishermen)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on compensation to UK tuna drift net fishermen for the withdrawal of their licences.

Elliot Morley: Funding available under Cornwall's objective 1 fisheries programme includes grants for the conversion of fishing vessels to more environmentally friendly fishing methods. Depending on the new fishing method chosen, conversion from drift netting could be treated as a priority under this scheme.
	Those affected by the ban may also apply under the decommissioning scheme which I recently announced.

Livestock Markets

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to support livestock markets in England and Wales to ensure that they have a viable future; and if she will provide financial aid and support for livestock markets to assist with the financial costs they are incurring due to additional cleaning and disinfecting measures that are in place.

Elliot Morley: The question of whether, and if so under what conditions, livestock markets will reopen is kept under review in the light of the developing disease situation.
	Livestock markets are commercial operations, and there are no plans to offer them subsidies from the public purse.

Livestock Markets

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what long-term plans her Department has for local collection points at livestock markets; what plans she has (a) to help livestock farmers to off-set the costs of having their livestock collected at markets and (b) for assisting markets with the costs they incur in acting as collection points.

Elliot Morley: The question of whether, and if so under what conditions, livestock markets will reopen is kept under review in the light of the developing disease situation.
	There are no plans to offer subsidies (a) to farmers to offset the cost of having livestock collected at markets or (b) to markets to offset costs incurred in acting as collecting points.

Devolved Administrations

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly Committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (w) Scottish parliament, (x) Welsh Assembly, (y) Northern Ireland Assembly and (z) House of Commons select committees.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1003–05W.

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Research Programme

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will provide the information on her Department's TSE research programme promised in her statement of 22 October.

Margaret Beckett: I have today placed a paper describing the programme in full in the Library of the House.

Live Animal Exports

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many exporters of live animals have been found to have breached the live transport regulations; and how many have had their licence revoked since July 1997.

Elliot Morley: Since July 1997, anyone transporting farm livestock for journeys exceeding eight hours by road or any animals on commercial journeys by rail, sea or air must hold a specific authorisation. The TRADE database, maintained by DEFRA, records enforcement action under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 but does not separately identify transporters who are exporters of live animals. No specific authorisations have been revoked. One case is pending.

Correspondence

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to letters from the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire of 3 April concerning Mr. Gale, 4 April concerning Chaddesley Corbett, 18 April concerning Mr. and Mrs. Morris, 20 April concerning Mr. Boaz, 25 April concerning Mr. Chadwick, 30 April concerning the Wyre Piddle By-Pass, 30 April concerning Ann Ward and 2 May concerning landfill sites.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 9 July 2001
	Replies have been sent to all the hon. Member's letters to MAFF Ministers with the exception of his letter of 30 April, of which I am afraid we have no record.

Fishing Industry

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what short-term provision she will make to North sea trawlermen; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The priority for action to help the fishing industry is to reduce the current excess of fishing capacity. I have therefore announced a grant scheme for the decommissioning of fishing vessels. Grants are also available for the conversion of vessels to introduce more environmentally sensitive fishing methods and to improve the handling of fish.

Fishing Industry

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of (a) current and (b) projected cod stocks for the next three years in the North sea;
	(2)  what the Government's policy is in relation to the future of the British trawling industry in the North sea; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) estimates that the spawning stock biomass of cod in the North sea will stand at 55,400 tonnes at the beginning of 2002, which ICES considers to be outside safe biological limits. The biomass in future years will depend on the level of exploitation as regulated by management measures and on natural developments. The Government's policy is to work with EU partners, through recovery plans and other measures, to ensure a sustainable future for trawling and for other sectors of the British fishing industry, exploiting opportunities in the North sea and elsewhere.

French Beef Imports

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much French beef was imported in the last 12 months.

Elliot Morley: The volume of beef imported into the UK from France in the 12-month period from September 2000 to August 2001, as recorded by the overseas trade statistics, was approximately 5,700 tonnes. The country from which these imports originated is not recorded in the overseas trade statistics; therefore, not necessarily all beef shown as being imported from France will be of French origin. Similarly, this figure will exclude any beef of French origin imported from other member states.

Food Standards Agency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her Department's relationship to the Food Standards Agency.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 1 November 2001
	DEFRA is responsible for the promotion of sustainable development across government and society at large, both in the UK and internationally, leading the renewal of rural areas and promoting an efficient, competitive and sustainable food chain. The main objective of the Food Standards Agency is to protect public health from risks which may arise in connection with the consumption of food, including risks caused by the way in which it is produced or supplied, and otherwise to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food. The two Departments have a close working relationship.

Horticulture

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has collated on (a) variations in the prices of horticultural plants in the EU and (b) the impact of localised funding support on such prices.

Elliot Morley: No such information is collated by the Department, though we do compile data on UK horticultural production, including the price of selected flowering pot plants in certain wholesale markets in England.

Apples

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much subsidy from the (a) UK and (b) EU Bramley apple growers have received in (i) Northern Ireland, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) England each year since 1981;
	(2)  how many apple processing plants have been given grant in aid in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) England since 1981;
	(3)  how many apple processing plants have closed in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) England since 1991.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 2 November 2001
	The information is not available in the form requested. Apple growers may have received payments under a variety of schemes and from a number of Departments but are not generally identifiable as such from the records held.
	The Department does not hold information on the number or location of apple processing plants.

Agrimonetary Compensation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many representations she has received for arable compensation from British farmers in the year prior to the 31 October deadline; and from whom they came.

Elliot Morley: I have received numerous representations about arable agrimonetary compensation directly from farmers, from their unions and other organisations, and through hon. Members' correspondence.

Agrimonetary Compensation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps she has taken to secure agrimonetary compensation from the European Union.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Pound) on 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 738W.

Agrimonetary Compensation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with EU Ministers about a replacement to the agrimonetary compensation scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	There have been no discussions with EU representatives concerning a replacement to the agrimonetary compensation arrangements.

Correspondence/Parliamentary Questions

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when will she reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute, dated 27 July, regarding (a) import of German beef, (b) prawn quotas and (c) sheep farming in Kintyre;
	(2)  when she will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute on 16 October, ref. 8638.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	My noble Friend, Lord Whitty, replied to the letter from the hon. Member on 6 November.

Tuberculosis

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects testing for TB to resume in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Veterinary resources in Gloucestershire are still subject to pressures of work in support of foot and mouth disease control. TB testing will resume as and when resources become available. It will be prioritised in accordance with veterinary risk assessment.

Livestock Movements

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make provision to compensate for the cleansing and disinfecting costs involved in animal movement; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	There is currently no provision to compensate farmers for the cost of cleansing and disinfecting involved in the movement of animals and there are no plans to do so.

Imported Foods

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further measures are being implemented to check against possible contamination of imported foods.

Elliot Morley: Adequate measures are in place to control legally presented imports of products of animal origin. All products of animal origin imported from third countries into the UK must enter at designated UK border inspection posts (BIP) where they are subject to veterinary inspections. All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks and a percentage of consignments undergo physical checks. These checks are designed to establish that the products meet EU import conditions. Contaminated consignments would be rejected.
	In respect of food not of animal origin, the Food Standards Agency monitors general food enforcement activity by all local authorities, including port health authorities, and has recently begun a programme of audits to provide more detailed information on enforcement standards.

Farm Woodland Schemes

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers participate in farm woodland schemes.

Elliot Morley: Between 1988 and the end of June 2001, there were 8,572 approved applications in England under the farm woodland premium scheme and/or its predecessor the farm woodland scheme. Individuals may make more than one application.

Supermarkets

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that the code of practice on the relationship between suppliers and supermarkets is made available to farmers and growers in Worcestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry published the code of practice on 31 October 2001 and asked the Director General of Fair Trading to seek to obtain undertakings from four leading supermarket chains within four weeks.
	The code can be found as an attachment to the relevant press release on the Department of Trade and Industry's website: http://www.dti.gov.uk

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Private Finance Initiative (Employees' Rights)

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on protection of employees' rights and conditions of service where PFI projects are introduced to the public sector.

Christopher Leslie: The Government are committed to protecting the rights and existing terms and conditions of staff in transfers from the public sector to the private sector under public private partnership arrangements. To this end the Cabinet Office has published a statement of practice on staff transfers in the public sector. This is accessible on the Cabinet Office website: www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/civilservice/2000/tupe/

Departmental Spending

Pete Wishart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total spending by his Department was in each nation and region of the UK in the last year for which figures are available; what proportion of his Department's total spending this constitutes; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Roche: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 854–56W.

Council of the Isles

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future programme of meetings of the Council of the Isles.

John Prescott: The British-Irish Council, brings together the British and Irish Governments, the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the authorities in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
	The British-Irish Council meets in different formats. Since the first summit meeting held in London in December 1999, a number of meetings have taken place in different sectoral areas at ministerial and official level.
	The most recent meeting of the Council took place in Dublin on 13 September 2001. Officials discussed the issue of misuse of drugs, the area of work for which Ireland is the lead administration within the Council.
	The Irish Government will host the next British-Irish Council summit. The drugs issue will be the main item for discussion at the summit. Progress in the other areas of work of the Council will also be reviewed.
	The Government look forward to further meetings taking place in the agreed areas of work.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; and on how many occasions in those years computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (A) within and (B) outside his Department.

Christopher Leslie: Within my Department and its agencies over the last two years there have been no cases of computer hacking from (A) within or (B) outside and no instances of fraudulent use of computers although there have been 16 cases of theft in 1999–2000 and nine in 2000–01.

Consultation Documents

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many consultation documents were issued by his Department from (a) 15 October to 14 January, (b) 15 January to 14 April, (c) 15 April to 14 July and (d) 15 July to 14 October in each year from 1996.

Christopher Leslie: The number of consultation documents issued by the Cabinet Office was as follows:
	
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 (a) 15 October to 14 January 2 1 1 3 — 
			 (b) 15 January to 14 April — 1 — 2 2 
			 (c) 15 April to 14 July — — 1 — 2 
			 (d) 15 July to 14 October — 1 — — 9 
		
	
	No formal consultation documents were issued in the other periods given in the question. The figures do not include nine technical documents published between 1999 and 2001. These documents went out for consultation but the Cabinet Office does not hold records of the precise dates of issue.
	Since the beginning of 2001, formal Cabinet Office consultation documents (and those of other central Government Departments) have been available from the online central register of consultations at http// www.ukonline.gov.uk.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were prosecuted for committing benefit fraud in financial years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the tables:
	
		Benefits Agency fraud investigations
		
			 Year Prosecutions Cautions and administrative penalties as an alternative to prosecution(6) Total 
		
		
			 1997–98 12,009 — 12,009 
			 1998–99 11,185 2,835 14,020 
			 1999–2000 9,977 12,332 22,309 
			 2000–01 9,030 15,092 24,122 
		
	
	
		Local authority investigations(7)
		
			 Year Number of successful prosecutions(8) Number of administrative penalties(6) administered as an alternative to prosecution(8) Total(8) 
		
		
			 1997–98 700 — 700 
			 1998–99 800 — 800 
			 1999–2000 860 390 1,250 
			 2000–01 1,100 550 1,650 
		
	
	(6) Administrative Penalties, as an alternative to prosecution, were introduced by the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act (1997) with effect from December 1998.
	(7) Figures are taken from local authority management information returns. It is possible that there could be some double counting with Benefits Agency data if there were cases which involved a joint prosecution.
	(8) Data are not available for all 409 local authorities. The total for Great Britain includes estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents. The figures have been rounded to two significant figures.

National Insurance Numbers

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers have been issued; and what plans he has to review the procedures for issuing, cancelling and verifying NI numbers.

Malcolm Wicks: We regularly review data cleansing activities on the departmental central index (DCI) and are currently looking at issues relating to NINO security as a whole. This includes reviewing procedures and building on work already done to identify and further safeguard vulnerable accounts.
	There are approximately 83 million national insurance numbers (NINOs) currently held on the DCI. Other than the 47 million NINOs used by UK residents over 16, this figure includes approximately 12.5 million child reference numbers for all children included on claims to child benefit, 13.5 million for people who are dead and whose numbers remain in order to allow surviving spouses to claim contributory benefit entitlement and 2 million for those in receipt of benefit abroad. The remaining estimated 8 million will include UK citizens who have migrated to other countries, short-term immigrants/ holiday workers and deceased persons where notification of death has not been received.
	Duplicate NINOs are 'cancelled' or removed from the DCI as and when they are identified. The cancellation of NINOs, other than those discovered to be duplicates or unused, is not carried out as it is considered that the removal of 'inactive' records opens a gateway to identity fraud. The retention of a deceased person's NINO is necessary to protect the inheritable rights of a surviving spouse to ensure they are awarded the correct rate of retirement pension.
	The procedure for issuing NINOs has been tightened through the enhanced NINO allocation process which was introduced nationally from April 2001. This aligns the process for the allocation of both benefit inspired and employment inspired NINOs and ensures consistency of approach is maintained throughout the country, thereby securing the adult registration gateway. All adult applicants for a NINO are interviewed by dedicated staff who have received specific specialist training. Information given by the applicant in support of their application is corroborated by expert staff who also scrutinise documentation provided using specialist equipment. A more stringent internal checking regime ensures that a NINO application is valid and that the applicant does not already have a NINO.
	We are currently examining new initiatives that address the issues around NINO security and propose to do more in the future to improve the procedures for managing NINOs.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what considerations and costs are taken into account when determining the level of jobseeker's allowance.

Malcolm Wicks: Jobseeker's allowance consists of both a contribution-based and an income-based element. The rates of jobseeker's allowance are intended to cover normal day-to-day living expenses and are reviewed annually using the Rossi index.
	Entitlement to contribution-based jobseeker's allowance is not affected by the amount of capital a person has although part-time earnings and occupational or personal pensions are taken into account. When determining income-based jobseeker's allowance most forms of income a person or their partner have are taken into account. The amount of capital held can also affect the amount of benefit.

Child Support Agency

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the staff of the Child Support Agency while the new assessment procedures are implemented.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 26 October 2001
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Mr. Doug Smith to Mr. David Willetts, dated 6 November 2001
	I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about the Child Support Agency.
	You asked what plans the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has to increase the staff of the Child Support Agency whilst the new assessment procedures are implemented.
	The amount of staff in the Child Support Agency will grow by around 1,000 during the period in which the new procedures will be implemented.
	I hope this is helpful.

Attendance Allowance

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time was between receipt of requests to re-examine claims for attendance allowance and their examination, in each of the last four years.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated November 2001
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average time was between receipt of requests to re-examine claims for Attendance Allowance and their examination in each of the last four years.
	The actual average clearance times for Attendance Allowance (AA) reviews between April 1997 and September 2001 are shown in the attached table. Please note that under the Decision Making and Appeals (DMA) procedures introduced in October 99, the review process changed in some respects and was henceforth termed reconsiderations. Reconsiderations occur when a claimant asks for a claim to be looked at again within one month of the previous decision.
	The DMA procedures introduced in 1999 led to temporary backlogs of work, and taken with a growing caseload for disability benefits, the average time taken to reconsider claims increased very significantly. These backlogs were tackled as a priority and the average clearance time for reconsiderations is now significantly lower.
	I hope this is helpful.
	
		
			 Date Average days taken 
		
		
			  Reviews (AA) April 1997-March 1998 
			 April 1997 43.20 
			 May 1997 44.72 
			 June 1997 53.69 
			 July 1997 53.17 
			 August 1997 52.57 
			 September 1997 52.17 
			 October 1997 50.40 
			 November 1997 47.99 
			 December 1997 45.34 
			 January 1998 48.41 
			 February 1998 42.30 
			 March 1998 38.48 
			  Reviews (AA) April 1998-March 1999 
			 April 1998 39.10 
			 May 1998 38.04 
			 June 1998 38.90 
			 July 1998 40.58 
			 August 1998 42.06 
			 September 1998 43.54 
			 October 1998 43.54 
			 November 1998 43.24 
			 December 1998 44.38 
			 January 1999 46.05 
			 February 1999 54.39 
			 March 1999 44.13 
			  Reviews (AA) April 1999-March 2000 
			 April 1999 44.34 
			 May 1999 46.07 
			 June 1999 51.14 
			 July 1999 54.73 
			 August 1999 54.61 
			 September 1999 52.57 
			 October 1999 53.98 
			 November 1999 67.75 
			 December 1999 75.17 
			 January 2000 90.78 
			 February 2000 105.59 
			 March 2000 129.80 
			  Reconsiderations (AA) October 1999-March 2000 
			 April 1999 — 
			 May 1999 — 
			 June 1999 — 
			 July 1999 — 
			 August 1999 — 
			 September 1999 — 
			 October 1999 24 
			 November 1999 28 
			 December 1999 36 
			 January 2000 52 
			 February 2000 62 
			 March 2000 65 
			  Reconsiderations (AA) April 2000-March 2001 
			 April 2000 63 
			 May 2000 60.2 
			 June 2000 54.4 
			 July 2000 50.9 
			 August 2000 47.5 
			 September 2000 51.8 
			 October 2000 46.1 
			 November 2000 44.9 
			 December 2000 42.2 
			 January 2001 44.4 
			 February 2001 40.5 
			 March 2001 35.6 
			  Reconsiderations (AA) April 2001-September 2001 
			 April 2001 36 
			 May 2001 33.9 
			 June 2001 35.3 
			 July 2001 36.1 
			 August 2001 36.1 
			 September 2001 38.5

Attendance Allowance

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what factors determine the length of time for a decision to be given in response to those who request that their claims for attendance allowance are re-examined; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 6 November 2001
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what factors determine the length of time for a decision to be given in response to those who request that their claims for Attendance Allowance are re-examined; and if he will make a statement.
	A number of factors can affect the length of time it takes to re-examine claims for Attendance Allowance. In particular, before a final decision can be taken on their case, a decision maker (DM) may need additional evidence from claimants or further medical evidence or reports about the effects of their disabilities on their care needs.
	I hope this is helpful.

Attendance Allowance

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals against decisions on attendance allowance have been made in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many (a) have been allowed, (b) have been dismissed and (c) are awaiting a decision in each of the last four years.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 6 November 2001
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many appeals against decisions on attendance allowance have been made in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many have been (a) allowed (b) dismissed and (c) are awaiting a decision.
	The information is in the attached table.
	I hope this is helpful.
	
		
			 Month AA appeals registered Allowed appeals (a) Dismissed appeals (b) Outstanding appeals (c) Total number of cleared cases (d) 
		
		
			 October 2000 1,434 386 3 3,116 1,271 
			 November 2000 1,545 502 6 2,284 1,539 
			 December 2000 1,023 425 6 1,958 1,246 
			 January 2001 1,311 613 8 1,698 2,008 
			 February 2001 1,330 636 4 1,672 1,770 
			 March 2001 1,442 642 5 1,649 1,688 
			 April 2001 1,317 431 1 1,799 1,227 
			 May 2001 1,212 448 3 1,646 1,237 
			 June 2001 1,263 430 3 1,475 1,210 
			 July 2001 1,331 431 3 1,447 1,266 
			 August 2001 1,261 397 3 1,516 1,142 
			 September 2001 1,129 338 5 1,676 1,078 
		
	
	(a) Allowed appeals include allowed or increased appeals.
	(d) Dismissed appeals include cases where entitlement is reduced or disallowed on appeal.
	(c) Outstanding appeals include all cases sent to the Tribunal awaiting a decision.
	(d) The total number of cleared cases column includes allowed, dismissed, maintained and various other outcomes that are not appropriate to the stated categories.
	It is not possible, from overall statistics to track individual claims through the subsequent stages.

Attendance Allowance

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time is for dealing with requests by those seeking an explanation for decisions relating to claims for attendance allowance.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated November 2001
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average time is for dealing with requests by those seeking an explanation for decisions relating to claims for attendance allowance.
	There are two types of explanation available to claimants, a verbal explanation and a written explanation. A customer is entitled to ask for an explanation in one or both forms to help them understand the reasons for the decision on their entitlement to Attendance Allowance. The actual average clearance times for requests for explanations of decisions relating to Attendance Allowance is three days.
	I hope this is helpful.

Energy Efficiency Week

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action his Department took in recognition of energy efficiency week.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 30 October 2001, Official Report, column 592W.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is actively involved in an overall cross-government programme designed to lessen the impact of our operations on the environment. We are currently working with our estates and service partners, Land Securities Trillium, to implement a number of capital investment projects designed to improve energy efficiency throughout the estate. Further to this, the Department is in the process of developing an overarching environmental awareness campaign for staff, that will include energy efficiency good practice while at work and links will be promoted with the work of the Energy Savings Trust.

Medical Assessments

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of C grade medical reports fail to meet his Department's standards by (a) 10 per cent. and (b) five per cent. broken down by disability benefit centre in each of the last three years.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Medical quality targets were set in June 2000, in the Government's response to the Social Security Committee report on medical services. The target in relation to C grade medical reports was: within six months to reduce the proportion of C grade reports by 10 per cent.; and within one year to reduce the proportion of C grade reports across all benefits to less than 5 per cent.
	Performance against the target is monitored at national and at contract package level. All contract package areas (north, south-east, and south-west) have met both the six month and the one year target.

Medical Assessments

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the rate of medical examinations by SEMA is in respect of (a) incapacity and (b) disability benefits.

Malcolm Wicks: In the 12 months ending 31 September 2001, there were 428,232 IB examinations and 235,549 DLA/AA examinations carried out.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Passports (Confiscation)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will remove the passports of individuals who have expressed an intention to go to (a) Afghanistan and (b) Pakistan to fight against British or US armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The courts have distinct statutory powers to order the surrender of passports belonging to football hooligans and drug offenders but, in general, the power of the Secretary of State to refuse or withdraw passport facilities is limited to certain categories which have previously been announced in Parliament. These include:
	"in very rare cases a person whose past or proposed activities are so demonstrably undesirable that the grant or continued enjoyment of passport facilities would be contrary to the public interest".
	I will carefully consider the individual circumstances of any cases which appear to fall into this category.

Police Pensions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to fund police pensions over the next 10 years.

John Denham: We have no plans to change the manner of funding of police pensions at present. However, we are aware of police authorities' concern over the increasing burden of the funding of pensions. The Home Office and Treasury will be keeping the situation under review.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held in Brussels on 16 October; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: I represented the United Kingdom at the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council in Luxembourg on 16 October. The purpose of the Council was to consider key issues on the two main anti-terrorism instruments presented by the Commission at the special JHA Council on 20 September, both of which are scheduled for adoption at the JHA Council on 6–7 December. Framework Decision on European Arrest Warrant
	The principal issue considered was the intended scope of the warrant, in particular the abolition of dual criminality for offences covered by the framework decision.
	Member states expressed a range of views on dual criminality and on the way in which offences should be defined for the purpose of operating the warrant.
	The Council also noted the work in hand to identify the appropriate procedures for serving and enforcing the European arrest warrant.
	Framework Decision on Combating Terrorism
	The Council examined two aspects of the draft framework decision on combating terrorism: penalties and jurisdiction.
	A number of member states expressed difficulty over the Commission's proposal for common minimum/maximum penalties for those terrorist offences defined in the framework decision.
	On jurisdiction, member states expressed concern about possible conflicts of jurisdiction if extra-territorial jurisdiction within the European Union were provided for.
	The Presidency concluded that further work should be undertaken and that these issues should be discussed again at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 16 November, in order to meet the commitment to adoption in December.

Police Numbers (Staffordshire)

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the chief constable on police numbers in Staffordshire.

John Denham: I have not had any discussions with the chief constable about police numbers in Staffordshire.
	On 31 August, Staffordshire police had 2,212 officers, 83 more than in March 2001. The force had 935 civilian support staff at March 2001; this is an increase of 173 since March 1997 and 77 since March 2000.
	Under the crime fighting fund (CFF) recruitment initiative, Staffordshire police have been allocated a total of 146 additional recruits, over and above their existing recruitment plans for the three years to March 2003.
	In 2000–01, Staffordshire police recruited all 49 of their CFF allocation. The force expects to recruit all its second year CFF allocation of 51 in 2001–02. Staffordshire has been allocated a further 46 CFF recruits in 2002–03.

Asylum Seekers

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to collect data on the number of asylum seekers who have their asylum applications rejected on the grounds of non-compliance, broken down by the reason for non-compliance.

Angela Eagle: Data are collected centrally and published showing the number of applications refused on non-compliance grounds as a whole. This is not broken down into specific reasons for non-compliance. This information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the main reasons for refusing an asylum claim on non-compliance grounds are:
	1. Failure to attain the screening interview;
	2. Failure to return or late return of the statement of evidence form (SEF);
	3. Failure to attend or late attendance at an asylum interview.

Police Numbers (Cheshire)

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police constables there were in the Cheshire constabulary in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001.

John Denham: The information requested has been provided by the chief constable of Cheshire constabulary and is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Year Police Officers Constables 
		
		
			 31 March 1997 2,046 1,590 
			 31 March 2001 2,002 1,533 
			 30 September 2001 2,058 1,575 
		
	
	Under the crime fighting fund (CFF) recruitment initiative, Cheshire police have been allocated a total of 147 additional recruits, over and above their existing recruitment plans for the three years to March 2003. Cheshire police recruited 21 of its CFF allocation in 2000–01.
	Cheshire constabulary employed 735 civilian staff in March 1997 and 833 in March 2001.

Motorcycle Theft

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to target motorcycle theft.

John Denham: Motorcycle theft is included within the national target to reduce vehicle crime by 30 per cent. over the five year period April 1999 to March 2004.
	The National Criminal Intelligence Service has received additional Government funding to run a project aimed at tackling organised motorcycle theft. Crime prevention messages specifically aimed at motorcyclists have been included in the current phase of the national vehicle crime reduction communications campaign. Local authorities now have powers to provide secure parking for motorcycles under the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 (as amended). The Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 provides for statutory regulation of the motor salvage industry which will help prevent vehicles, including motorcycles, from being stolen to be broken up for spare parts or "rung" (ie taking on the identities of vehicles which have been written off in accidents).

Cannabis

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average cost of arresting and charging people for cannabis possession in the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: It can take on average three hours of a police officer's time to arrest and charge a person for possession of cannabis. There were 81,380 cannabis possession offences in 1999. A police constable's basic salary cost in England and Wales falls within the range of £12 to £14 per hour, therefore the annual cost is in the region of £2,929,680 to £3,417,960.
	In assessing the costs, it is important to remember that arrests for cannabis possession may be incidental to other police action.

People Trafficking

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Government are taking to bring to justice people who traffic in human beings; and in what such action they are participating on an EU-wide basis.

Angela Eagle: The Government are committed to ensuring that strong measures are in place to penalise people who traffic in human beings. We have signed the trafficking protocol to the United Nations convention on transnational organised crime, which requires the specific criminalisation of trafficking in human beings.
	The Government are currently negotiating a framework decision, which is a binding European Union instrument and requires the criminalisation of trafficking in human beings for the purposes of exploiting their labour and services or for sexual exploitation. Under its provisions, the United Kingdom will be required to have implemented the instrument within two years of its adoption.
	A decision will be made on how best to implement the UN and EU agreements after the EU framework decision has been adopted. We will also take account of the outcome of the consultation exercise on "Setting the Boundaries", the report of the sex offences review which made recommendations for a new offence of trafficking for sexual exploitation.
	Last year we set up Project Reflex, a multi-agency task force chaired by the National Crime Squad, to co-ordinate anti-trafficking operations and develop the intelligence and strategic planning to underpin them. It is now well established and has resulted in some major successes involving partners overseas. The most recent has been Operation Franc in early June, which led to arrests in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France and Germany.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will list the (a) local authorities which have successfully applied for antisocial behaviour orders, (b) local authorities which have only unsuccessfully applied for antisocial behaviour orders and (c) local authorities which have not applied for any antisocial behaviour orders; and if he will identify under what political control each authority operates;
	(2)  how many applications for antisocial behaviour orders have been made by (a) local authorities and (b) the police; and how those applications were disposed of and with what outcomes.

John Denham: There is known to have been some under-recording of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) in a few police force areas. With the co-operation of Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) we are therefore undertaking a one-off reconciliation exercise to establish any differences, between the numbers of ASBOs known to the police and the data from court returns.
	The data should be available in November and I will write to my hon. Friend.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals against antisocial behaviour orders have been made; and with what outcomes.

John Denham: Information collected centrally on antisocial behaviour orders does not include details of those cases in which an appeal has been lodged.

Crimestoppers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to support voluntary organisations involved in crime prevention, with particular reference to Crimestoppers.

John Denham: My Department is constantly looking at ways to support voluntary organisations involved in crime prevention. Crimestoppers has submitted a request for support which is currently being considered.

Experience Corps Initiative

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for members of the National Experience Corps to lead sport and exercise sessions for older people.

Angela Eagle: The experience corps initiative aims to encourage more people aged 50 and over to become or to remain active in their local communities. Although there are no specific plans in relation to encouraging older people to engage in sport and exercise sessions, it is hoped that those who volunteer through the experience corps will be able to participate in a wide range of volunteering opportunities.
	The Government recognise the importance of sport and exercise activities for older people and that is why the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has set up a working group of officials and representatives from other key bodies to explore ways of encouraging and facilitating physical activity for older people.

Police Pay

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will revise the income supplements provided to police officers in Sussex, based on an analysis of comparative costs of living in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

John Denham: In February this year, the police negotiating board (PNB) reached agreement on a recommendation to the Secretary of State for the Home Department that officers in eight south-east police forces appointed after 1 September 1994 and not in receipt of housing allowance should receive a new allowance. The PNB recommended that qualifying officers in Kent and Surrey should receive an allowance of £2,000 a year and qualifying officers in Sussex should receive £1,000 a year. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary approved the recommendation of the PNB.
	The PNB is the statutory negotiating body for police pay and conditions of service, with representatives from all the main police organisations, including the Police Federations, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities. It would be for the PNB in the first instance to consider whether the allowance awarded to qualifying officers in Sussex should be revised.

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reassess the recommendations of the Police Foundation report on drug use.

Bob Ainsworth: No. The Government published their response to the report of the independent inquiry into the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 by the Police Foundation in February 2001. We welcomed the inquiry's report and its contribution to the on-going process of assessing the effectiveness of the United Kingdom's drugs laws and policies.
	The Government supported 24 of the inquiry's 81 recommendations, rejected 37 and referred the remaining 20 recommendations for further consideration by relevant Government Departments and agencies. There is no intention to undertake a further review of the inquiry's recommendations.

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on the levels of consumption of (a) heroin, (b) cocaine and (c) cannabis;
	(2)  if his Department has recently considered the merits of (a) legalising and (b) decriminalising the use of illegal drugs.

Bob Ainsworth: There has been no change in Government policy on legalising or decriminalising illegal drugs. Our drugs laws deter experimentation, a point borne out by public opinion surveys. For example 30 per cent. of adults questioned by MORI for the Police Foundation inquiry cited illegality as the main reason for not taking drugs. Moreover, the findings of the 1998–99 youth lifestyle survey revealed that 64 per cent. of respondents who had never taken cannabis had not done so because it is against the law.
	The Home Secretary has asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to review the arguments for reclassifying cannabis from class B to class C. In giving evidence the Home Secretary said that he was not in favour of either legalisation or decriminalisation.

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were made for the (a) possession and (b) supply of (i) heroin, (ii) cocaine and (iii) cannabis in each of the past five years.

Bob Ainsworth: Arrest data are not collected centrally by individual offence.
	Information taken from the Home Office Court proceedings database showing the number of persons proceeded against for the (a) possession, (b) supply and (c) possession with intent to supply (i) heroin, (ii) cocaine and (iii) cannabis in England and Wales during the period 1996 to 2000 is given in the table.
	
		Persons proceeded against in the magistrates courts for the given offences, England and Wales, 1996–2000
		
			 Offence Principal statute 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			  Having possession of a controlled drug
			 Heroin Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec. 5(2) 2,653 3,698 4,819 5,236 5,510 
			 Cocaine Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec. 5(2) 840 1,194 1,829 2,268 2,048 
			 Cannabis Ibid as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Sec. 157 Sch.8 part II 14,857 18,940 24,395 24,322 22,303 
			
			  Supplying or offering (or being concerned in) to supply a controlled drug
			 Heroin Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec. 4(3) 933 1,304 1,486 1,869 1,643 
			 Cocaine Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec. 4(3) 287 342 423 487 437 
			 Cannabis Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec. 4(3) 1,559 1,788 1,830 1,580 1,001 
			
			  Having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply
			 Heroin Misuse of Drugs Act Sec. 5(3) 1,040 1,265 1,411 1,483 1,488 
			 Cocaine Misuse of Drugs Act Sec. 5(3) 370 471 502 578 664 
			 Cannabis Misuse of Drugs Act Sec. 5(3) 2,765 3,275 3,223 2,917 2,194 
		
	
	Note:
	Data are given on a principal offence basis

Centralised Custody Centres

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what efficiency savings have been achieved, broken down by police force area, through the introduction of centralised custody centres;
	(2)  which police forces have moved to a system of centralised custody centres;
	(3)  what the average waiting times at each custody centre for processing a case were for the latest month for which figures are available.

John Denham: This information is not collected centrally.

Police Establishment

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers within the City of London there were (a) in May 1997 and (b) for the latest month for which figures are available.

John Denham: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The City of London police had 859 police officers on 31 March 1997 and 705 police officers on 2 November 2001.
	The force employed 347 civilian support staff in March 1997 and 223 in March 2001.

Identity Cards

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy on national identity cards is; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Government have no plans to introduce a national identity card scheme as part of its response to the atrocities in the United States on 11 September.
	However, the policy is kept under review and the Government are considering whether a universal card which allowed people to prove their identity more easily and provided a simple way to access a range of public services would be beneficial. Such an entitlement card scheme could also help to combat illegal working which disproportionately affects the poorer sections of our society by undercutting the minimum wage and encouraging unscrupulous employers. It could also reduce fraud against individuals, public services and the private sector.
	The introduction of an entitlement card would be a major step and the Government would not proceed without consulting widely and considering all the views expressed very carefully.

Vandalism Costs

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he collates on the annual cost of vandalism, broken down by local authority.

John Denham: holding answer 6 November 2001
	In Home Office statistics, vandalism is categorised as criminal damage. We have estimates of the economic cost of criminal damage in England and Wales. However, we do not currently estimate the annual cost of criminal damage broken down by local authority.
	The most recent figure of the cost of criminal damage was published in a report in December 2000, "The economic and social cost of crime" (Home Office Research Study 217). This estimated the total cost of criminal damage in England and Wales in 1999–2000 to be £4.1 billion. This represents 7 per cent. of the total economic cost of crime.

Private Security Firms

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives to local authorities on the case of private security firms; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 6 November 2001
	We do not routinely issue guidance on this subject. There is, however, an extant piece of advice (Home Office Circular 60/1995) on the subject of local authority registration of door supervisors.
	The Private Security Industry Act 2001 sets out the Government's current framework for the regulation of the private security industry in England and Wales. Consultations with local authorities will be essential with regard to those aspects of the Act relating to the licensing of door supervisors.

Special Constables (Sussex)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in (i) Sussex police and (ii) nationally in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000.

John Denham: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The number of serving special constables in England and Wales and the number of specials serving in Sussex police from 30 September 1997 to 30 September 2000 are set out in the table:
	
		
			 Year Total strength(9) Strength in Sussex 
		
		
			 1997 19,163 465 
			 1998 17,296 415 
			 1999 15,727 377 
			 2000 13,487 317 
		
	
	(9) England and Wales
	Note:
	Figures provided by Research Statistics and Development
	The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and we are looking at radical improvements in their management, welfare and deployment as part of the police reform process.

Asylum Support

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are receiving (a) accommodation and subsistence support and (b) subsistence support only from the national asylum support service.

Angela Eagle: As at the end of July 2001, the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in national asylum support service (NASS) accommodation was 28,810 1 , 2 . A further 18,520 1 , 2 asylum seekers (including dependants) were receiving voucher only support from NASS.
	1 Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	2 Cases which have had their support ceased are excluded from these figures.

Asylum Support

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum-seekers and dependants have been dispersed to each of the NASS- designated dispersal areas since (a) 1 April 2001 and (b) 3 April 2000.

Angela Eagle: The information is not currently available in the form requested.
	The available information on dispersed asylum seekers is in the table. The table shows the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in the national asylum support service (NASS) accommodation in each cluster area as at the end of July 2001.
	
		Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in NASS accommodation by cluster area as at the end of July 2001(10),(11)
		
			 Region/area Number 
		
		
			 East Midlands  
			 Derby 110 
			 Leicester 640 
			 Nottingham 880 
			  
			 Total 1,630 
			 East of England  
			 Ipswich 30 
			 Peterborough 180 
			  
			 Total 200 
			   
			 Greater London  
			 Disbenefited(12) 200 
			 London 480 
			  
			 Total 680 
			   
			 North East  
			 Darlington 30 
			 Gateshead 530 
			 Hartlepool 50 
			 Middlesbrough 370 
			 Newcastle 1,410 
			 North Tyneside 340 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 300 
			 South Tyneside 130 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 240 
			 Sunderland 830 
			  
			 Total 4,240 
			   
			 North West  
			 Blackburn 430 
			 Bolton(13) 590 
			 Burnley 130 
			 Bury(13) 160 
			 Disbenefited(12) * 
			 Liverpool 1,620 
			 Manchester 1,880 
			 Nelson 210 
			 Oldham(13) 160 
			 Rochdale(13) 230 
			 Salford(13) 250 
			 Stockport(13) 70 
			 Tameside(13) 60 
			 Trafford(13) 50 
			 Wigan 360 
			  
			 Total 6,190 
			   
			 Northern Ireland  
			 Belfast 40 
			 Other 10 
			  
			 Total 50 
			   
			 Scotland  
			 Glasgow 3,890 
			  
			 Total 3,890 
			   
			 South Central  
			 Bournemouth * 
			 Brighton and Hove 40 
			 Disbenefited(12) 40 
			 Hastings and St. Leonards 210 
			 Portsmouth 100 
			  
			 Total 390 
			   
			 South West  
			 Bristol 130 
			 Disbenefited(12) 10 
			 Exeter 40 
			 Plymouth 360 
			  
			 Total 540 
			 Wales  
			 Cardiff 330 
			 Swansea 10 
			 Wrexham 30 
			  
			 Total 370 
			   
			 West Midlands  
			 Birmingham 1,980 
			 Coventry 840 
			 Disbenefited(12) 10 
			 Dudley 160 
			 Sandwell 120 
			 Solihull 60 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 340 
			 Walsall 210 
			 Wolverhampton 690 
			  
			 Total 4,410 
			   
			 Yorkshire and Humberside  
			 Barnsley 160 
			 Bradford 1,370 
			 Disbenefited(12) * 
			 Doncaster 590 
			 Grimsby 80 
			 Halifax 220 
			 Hull 960 
			 Kirklees 390 
			 Leeds 910 
			 Rotherham 370 
			 Sheffield 1,040 
			 Wakefield 140 
			  
			 Total 6,230 
			   
			 Overall total 28,810 
		
	
	(10) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. * indicates a number between one and four. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	(11) Figures exclude cases where the asylum seekers support has been ceased.
	(12) Disbenefited cases are cases which were previously supported by social services and after an initial decision on their asylum application have been transferred onto NASS support.
	(13) Greater Manchester

Women Prisoners

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women prisoners were detained (a) on remand and (b) following sentence on the 1st of each month since May 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The number of females in prisons in England and Wales in each month since 30 April 1997 is shown in the table. Figures are available only for the last day of the month.
	
		Number of females detained on remand and under sentence since 1 April 1997 by month(14),(15)
		
			   1997 1998 1999 2000 2001  
			   Remand Sentenced Remand Sentenced Remand Sentenced Remand Sentenced Remand Sentenced 
		
		
			 January — — 650 2,205 778 2,397 730 2,489 692 2,624 
			 February — — 693 2,311 781 2,427 740 2,590 686 2,749 
			 March — — 698 2,372 707 2,435 716 2,659 677 2,849 
			 April 592 1,992 717 2,371 730 2,411 675 2,620 702 2,848 
			 May 560 2,044 694 2,385 741 2,451 701 2,592 746 2,895 
			 June 587 2,066 735 2,367 752 2,436 669 2,666 773 2,899 
			 July 618 2,105 721 2,445 757 2,481 724 2,692 820 2,936 
			 August 628 2,113 704 2,440 806 2,504 709 2,712 846 2,978 
			 September 630 2,146 714 2,430 783 2,539 685 2,689 860 3,060 
			 October 625 2,152 694 2,432 788 2,582 726 2,681 — — 
			 November 671 2,196 748 2,441 742 2,589 731 2,627 — — 
			 December 589 2,158 681 2,364 614 2,447 604 2,515 — — 
		
	
	(14) All figures are as the last day of the month
	(15) Figures exclude civil prisoners

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act

Bill Rammell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish guidance on the housing and care of ferrets and gerbils in breeding and supplying establishments designated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I have today laid before Parliament a draft supplement to the code of practice for the housing and care of animals in designated breeding and supplying establishments. The draft sets standards for the housing and care of ferrets and gerbils in designated breeding and supply establishments, and is a consequence of the species concerned being added to the list in schedule 2 to the 1986 Act (animals which can only be obtained from designated sources). The draft has been produced and laid under section 21 of the Act and is subject to the negative resolution procedure. Copies have been placed in the Library.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Land Registry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what percentage of the total land area of Great Britain is not registered; and when he expects all land to be registered.

Michael Wills: Information relating to the amount of land that is either registered or unregistered in Great Britain is not collected centrally. In England and Wales, land registration is compulsory on sale and on most other transactions affecting unregistered land. Over 18 million titles are already registered out of an estimated 23 million. The Land Registration Bill currently before Parliament is expected to lead to a substantial increase in voluntary applications for first registration and in registration of leasehold interests. The Law Commission and HM Land Registry have recommended that ways in which all remaining land with unregistered title in England and Wales might be brought on to the register should be re-examined five years after the Bill is implemented. The Government are currently considering that recommendation.

Islamic Marriages

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will make it her policy to make Islamic marriages undertaken by UK citizens abroad registerable in the UK upon the return home of either party to the marriage.

Rosie Winterton: The recognition in the UK of a marriage which has taken place overseas can be determined only by a court. I understand, however, that generally such marriages would be recognised here as valid provided that they complied with the law of the country where they took place and the couple had the legal capacity to marry each other.
	There is currently no provision in law for marriages which take place outside the UK to be registered in this country. But, under the Foreign Marriage Order 1970, certificates of marriage may be lodged with the Registrar General on receipt from the local consular office of non-Commonwealth countries. However, if the couple are already validly married to each other, there would be no need for the marriage to be registered again in this country.

Census Information

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are being made for the general public to view 1901 Census information.

Rosie Winterton: The general public will be able to view the 1901 census in two ways. First, online over the internet at www.census.pro.gov.uk. This innovation will greatly increase ease of access and is expected to attract a wider range of users. Secondly, as with earlier census records, it will be available on microfiche at local record offices and libraries and a full set of fiche for England and Wales will be available at the Public Record Office at Kew.

District Judges

Greg Knight: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many district judges (magistrates courts) sit in England and Wales, broken down by county; and what plans he has to increase this number.

Michael Wills: The table shows where stipendiary magistrates (now district judges (magistrates courts)) are based, county by county. London includes the senior district judge and her deputy. A competition is under way to fill the following vacancies included in the figures—two in London, one in Greater Manchester, one in Middlesex, one in Nottinghamshire, one in South Yorkshire and one in West Yorkshire. The Government are considering Lord Justice Auld's recommendations which may have an impact on the number of these appointments required.
	
		District judges (magistrates courts) district bench by county
		
			 County Number 
		
		
			 Bristol 1 
			 Cheshire 1 
			 Cleveland 1 
			 Derbyshire 2 
			 Devon 1 
			 Dorset 1 
			 Essex 1 
			 Greater Manchester 5 
			 Hampshire 3 
			 Humberside 1 
			 Leicestershire 2 
			 London 48 
			 Merseyside 5 
			 Middlesex 3 
			 Norfolk 1 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 
			 Shropshire 1 
			 South Wales 3 
			 South Yorkshire 5 
			 Staffordshire 1 
			 Sussex 2 
			 West Midlands 10 
			 West Yorkshire 5 
			  
			 Total 106